
(oiATighl N" 

COl'YUU'.llT UKPOSIT. 



Southward in Roamer 

Being a Description of the Inside Route 
from New York to Florida 

BY 

H. C. ROOME 



(Reprinted from The Rudder) 



New York and London: 
THE RUDDER PUBLISHING COMPANY 

1907 



{UBRARY of CONGSESS 
Two Cooies Received 

APh 22 1907 

A «opyJi«lTt Entry 
CLASS A XXc, We 
COPY B. 



COPYRIGHT 1907 

BY 

THE RUDDER PUBLISHING COMPANY 

ALL RIGHTS RESERVED 



PRESS OF 

THOMSON & CO. 

NEW YORK 



INTRODUCTION 



THIS lucid and intelligent description of the inside 
passage from New York to Florida was written 
for The Rudder by Mr. H. C Roome, a gentle- 
man who has frequently made the trip in his yacht 
Roamer. The value of a narrative of this kind is ap- 
parent to those who have made the passage without any 
guide except the excellent charts furnished by the Govern- 
ment. While they are essential to proper navigation, there 
is a deal of information that they do not give, and which 
is conducive to safe and comfortable voyaging. But 
while the yachtsman in making this passage will un- 
doubtedly be greatly aided by Commodore Roome's nar- 
rative, he must not fail to provide himself with a full 
set of charts and such other publications as will be of 
service. By paying attention to Commodore Roome's 
remarks, and following the course on the chart, no man 
will have any difficulty in making this long voyage. 

Editor. 



Southward in Roamer 



MANY of my yachting friends, intending to cruise 
in Southern waters, have asked me to give them 
pointers on the route. The friends are so many, 
and the pointers so numerous in the hundreds of miles 
stretching between New York and Cape Florida, that it 
would be a difficult matter to oblige each one separately. 
The Roamer, on which this trip is taken, is 68 feet 
in length over all, 6i feet length water-line, 12 feet 
breadth, and when stored up with 350 gallons of water 
and 600 gallons of gasolene has a draught of 4 feet 
8 inches when at rest, and 5 feet 6 inches when running 
at full speed. She is equipped with a four-cylinder 
40-h.p. Globe engine, electric lights, including 2000-c.p. 
searchlight. Electricity is furnished by a 3-k.w. dynamo, 
and 40-cell storage battery, so installed that by turning 
a switch in one direction the dynamo becomes a generator 
storing the battery cells, and by throwing it in the opposite 
direction the dynamo becomes a motor driving the en- 
gine by means of the storage battery, or both electrical 
and gasolene power may be used in conjunction. She 
is schooner-rigged with leg-o'-mutton sails, masts being 

(5) 



hinged so that they may be quickly lowered on deck to 
pass under bridges. Steering wheels on deck and in 
pilothouse; full cabin trunk divided into four compart- 
ments, pilothouse, saloon, bathroom and engine room; 
sleeping accommodations for six persons forward, and 
three for crew aft. Crew consists of mate, engineer and 
steward, who also acts as cook. Cost of running the 
yacht, including wages, living expenses, fuel and necessary 
repairs during the year, is about $400 per month. Or- 
dinary speed, ten statute miles per hour, maximum lo^'^ 
without sail power. 

In ordinary seasons the best time to start on a cruise 
of this kind is between the middle and last of September, 
so as to reach Beaufort, N. C, the end of the first inside 
run, 595 miles (all distances are given in statute miles), 
about the first of October. At this time the Southerly 
and Westerly winds which are prevalent during the Sum- 
mer months on the Southern coast are beginning to 
change, and during the transition the winds are for the 
most part light Northerly and Easterly, with smooth out- 
side seas. The hurricane season is practically over, and 
in the ports you enter any belated hurricane will be 
promptly prognosticated. By starting thus early in the 
season you have an opportunity of making a few side 
trips, Baltimore, Washington and Richmond, although it 
is better to defer making these until you return in the 
following Spring, when one is apt to hurry North too 
rapidly, and run into cold and disagreeable weather, ren- 
dered doubly cold and disagreeable by the contrast of a 
sunny Winter South. 



Before leaving New York impress upon the mind of 
the steward the absokite necessity of boiUng every drop 
of water used for drinking purposes. Spring or distilled 
water cannot always be obtained, and the sooner that all 
hands settle down to the practice of drinking boiled water 
cooled with ice, the better it will be for the health of all 
concerned. Obtain also two or three vials of gelatine 
coated pills representing Warburg tincture in fluid 
drachms. After passing Norfolk, take one of these at 
each meal, and keep it up until you have passed through 
the swamps, marshes and rice fields of the Carolinas and 
Georgia. By adopting these simple precautions there is no 
reason why good health may not be enjoyed during 
the whole trip. The writer has made seven successive 
trips in as many years, and no person aboard has suffered 
in the least from malarial fever, although we were passing 
day after day through sections where twenty per cent 
of the population were afflicted with it. 

Thus equipped the Roamer on a sunny afternoon, 
September 23, 1903, passed from Morris Heights, through 
the Harlem River into the Hudson. Favored by the first 
of the ebb tide, we made rapid progress down the river 
to Robins Reef, and thence through Staten Island Kills 
to Perth Amboy. Rounding the Great Beds Light, leav- 
ing it to starboard 100 yards, we picked up the first black 
spar buoy, and then headed directly for the draw in the 
railroad bridge which spans the Raritan River. Here 
really begins the first stage of our inland journey, and as 
the Raritan is typical in many respects of many a 
Southern river which we shall navigate, it will be well to 
pause for a moment to study its characteristics, for upon 



8 

the information thus obtained much of our success in 
navigating Southern waters will depend. The river is 
a tortuous one, full of sudden bends, flowing through a 
series of marshes. The most important thing necessary 
to successful navigation in Southern rivers is to know 
which way the ebb tide flows. I imagine I see a smile of 
derision upon the faces of some of my readers as thev 
read this. ''Why, any fool ought to know that the ebb 
tide always flows in one direction! Toward the sea, 
of course !" But many of the rivers we shall traverse have 
two or more outlets to the sea, and the problem is to 
discover the. predominant direction of ebb flow in each. 
This is not so easy to determine, particularly, as in our 
journey South we shall have to traverse as many as 
twenty-five different rivers and sounds in a single day. 
In this, the initial stage of our journey, it would be time 
wisely spent to go up this river slowly at low tide and 
closely observe the manner in which bars and shoals are 
formed at each bend of the river. Notice how the swift 
ebb, flowing down a short, straight reach, keeps on its 
straight course when approaching a bend in the river, 
and impinges against the opposite bank, cutting it away, 
scouring out the bottom, and making deep water there. 
Repulsed by this bank, the current is forced diagonally 
toward the opposite shore, and a part of the sand washed 
from this bank is caught by the eddy formed just below 
the point, and deposited there, forming a shoal extending 
out from and just below the point. Hence in ascend- 
ing this stream you must avoid points, and favor the op- 
posite shore until abreast the point. In descending, favor 
the points until nearly abreast of them, and then head 



for the opposite side of the river before turning. Usually 
these shoals can be detected by a glassy appearance of the 
water and the edges of the shoal encircled with bubbles 
and slight foam. Once thoroughly posted in these pecul- 
iarities, the navigation of Southern rivers becomes 
a comparatively easy matter. 

Passing through the drawbridge over the Raritan, on 
either side, we head for a sandy point on the starboard 
shore, beyond which is another drawbridge for foot pas- 
sengers and teams. Passing through this, we follow in 
the bend on the starboard shore until past a black buoy, 
leaving it on port hand, then haul in close to the wharves. 
Keeping about 200 feet away, we follow this shore past 
the wharves. Above these the river is dyked. Follow 
starboard dyke around the bend, and when it ends take 
middle of stream, avoiding points and taking care not to 
run too deeply into the bends. About a mile above 
Sayresville, which is an extensive brick-making estab- 
lishment on port bank, the South branch of the Raritan 
enters, and this is often mistaken for the main branch of 
the river. This branch enters the river on the port hand. 

In fact, every stream which would be liable to lead one 
astray, enters on the port side, and a sure guide will be to 
follow the starboard bank of the river. New Brunswick 
will open out suddenly after rounding a bend, and after 
sighting it you will observe ahead on the port hand a high 
wooded cliff with steep slate rock sides in a bend in the 
river. Stand into this bend and follow this shore up to 
and along the dock up to the lock of the Delaware and 
Raritan Canal. To a person of ordinary sailing ability, 
the Raritan is easily navigable, and a pilot is superfluous! 



lO 

At ordinary stages of water it has at least a depth of eight 
feet at low tide. Rise and fall of tides, about five feet, at 
least. It is best to pass through the lock and tie up above 
it near an ice and coal dock about an eighth of a mile 
above. The lock tender will point it out to you. Oppo- 
site the icehouse dock, which is just above some piles and 
a small green island in the canal, is a sunken raft about 
twenty feet out from the dock, so it is better to tie up to 
the coal dock just above it. Ice, coal and provisions can 
be procured most handily here. The Delaware and Rari- 
tan Canal connects the Raritan with the Delaware River. 
It is forty-four miles long, and has thirteen locks. The 
locks East of Trenton are ascending ones. Those West 
of Trenton descending. Maximum draught allowed, 7 
feet; length of locks, 210 feet; width of locks, 23 feet 4 
inches. All bridges are draws excepting the railroad 
bridge at New Brunswick. Speed limit allowed through 
canal, four and a half miles per hour; rates of toll for 
yachts of fifty feet and under, five dollars; above fifty 
feet, ten dollars. We passed through the lock, and head- 
ing for our old tying-up place, narrowly escaped running 
upon the sunken raft spoken of. Here we tied up for 
the night, at 5 :20 p. m., the distance from Spuyten 
Duyvil being fifty miles. Distance from Raritan draw- 
bridge to New Brunswick lock, 12 miles. The next morn- 
ing we were awake at daylight, intending to reach Borden- 
town, and possibly Philadelphia, before dark. The sky 
was clear, the air still, and the rosy blush of daybreak in 
the East gave promise of a delightful trip through the 
canal. To those accustomed to sea, sound or river sail- 
ing only, I know of no more delightful trip than through 



II 



the Delaware and Raritan Canal in the early Autumn. 
From New Brunswick to Bound Brook, eight miles, the 
canal follows the winding of the river, sometimes ap- 
proaching it to within a biscuit's toss, and then wandering 
away from it in a serpentine course through meadows 
bright with sunshine, and long stretches of shady reaches, 
where vine-clad trees overarch the smooth water reflect- 
ing each branch, twig and leaf so faithfully that the rip- 
pling bows of the yacht seem to be gliding into an under- 
ground forest whose depth and extent are seemingly illim- 
itable. It has often been a matter of surprise to me 
that more small power boats do not take this trip in the 
Summer time. To many parties of ladies whose pleasure 
on a yachting trip is marred by the thoughts of rough 
weather and seasickness, this would be an ideal trip for 
a week. A day from New York to New Brunswick ; two 
days through the canal, stopping at Bound Brook, Tren- 
ton and Bordentown; a day down the Delaware to 
Philadelphia, stopping as inclination suggested at attrac- 
tive villager and many beautiful Summer resorts which 
line its banks; a day at Philadelphia and Camden, and 
then return. Fine hotel accommodations could be found, 
lodgings, and morning and evening meals, and with a 
lunch at midday enjoyed in a shaded nook by canal or 
riverside, the trip could be made a daily picnic for a party 
of eight or ten congenial spirits of both sexes. The 
probabilities are that the one week would be prolonged 
into two, and the party be disbanded with regrets that 
the enjoyment was so brief. On my returning trips 
from the South each Spring, I have made it a practice to 
invite two or three friends to take this trip homeward 



12 



with me, and no trips are so often referred to, and with 
so much pleasure, as these. 

By the time that the early cup of coffee, prepared by 
the steward, had been disposed of, daylight had appeared. 
The mist rising from the surface of the canal, and which 
for a short time had threatened to develop into a fog 
which would envelop both canal and river in a thick 
shroud, had been drank up by the rays of the rising sun. 
Lines were cast oil and a toot of the whistle caused the 
drawbridge ahead to slowly swing open, and we passed 
through this to the railroad bridge beyond, which is a 
stationary one without a draw. Vessels whose truck is 
more than fifty feet above the surface of this canal cannot 
pass through without dismasting. This bridge is the 
only one on the whole inside route without a draw. It is 
only during the past year that this bridge has been altered 
from a draw to a stationary one, and it forces all vessels 
of mast height above fifty feet to go outside to the Dela- 
ware Capes. Soon after leaving the city we reach the 
first ascending lock. In entering an ascending lock al- 
ways stop the yacht in the after or rear end of the lock 
about ten or fifteen feet from the lower gates. In this 
position she will lay easier and with less tugging upon 
the lines than in any other position. With boats of fifty 
feet or under, I prefer not to put out lines. One man 
forward and aft will easily keep her off the side of the 
lock. With the first inrush of water she will start sud- 
denly backward, seemingly as if she were to crash into 
the rear lock gates, but it is impossible for her to do this, 
for before she reaches them the water from the bottom 
striking the gates and rushing to the surface will be 



13 

forced forward and carry her with it before she has a 
chance to strike the gates. After she has been carried 
forward a few feet, this movemnt will be arrested, and be 
replaced by the backward movement again. These alter- 
nate movements will continue until the lock is filled, the 
boat moving not more than four or five feet each way. 

At this lock your pass, which you have obtained at the 
entering lock, will be demanded, and returned to you, not 
to be examined again until you reach the last lock in 
the canal. From this point your speed through the canal 
will be timed, and any ''great excess of speed above the 
four-and-a-half-mile limit" will be punished with a fine at 
Bordentown. 

The day fulfilled its promise of being a fine one; a 
moderate Southerly breeze tempered the heat of the early 
Autumn day; a few of the leaves in the forests of oak 
and maple through which we were gliding were be- 
ginning to be tinged with gold; squirrels leaped from 
branch to branch, and occasionally a rabbit would start 
up from the grass along the canal bank, and scurrying 
along the towpath, would disappear into the woods. It 
was an ideal Indian Summer day, and the enjoyment was 
doubled by the thought that only a week before we were 
shivering under the leaden skies and chilly Northern 
blasts of the St. Lawrence at Quebec. 

Just before noon we reached Trenton, and here oc- 
curred a long, exasperating delay. Soon after passing 
the pottery factories in Trenton the canal makes a very 
sharp bend, almost at right angles, and across this bend 
there is a drawbridge of the Penn. R. R. Ordinarily, the 
outlook for passing this bridge without more or less delay 



14 

is very unpromising, and it is better to tie up at the coal 
dock on the port side at once and wait for the draw to 
open. When we arrived, four canal boats were drifting 
about the canal waiting for the draw, and as time passed 
on this number was augmented by the arrival of others, 
until the canal was packed full. A large steam freighter 
came bumping through them, being unable to check her 
headway, and before she could stop fetched up against 
the drawbridge, narrowly escaping us in doing so. This 
gave us an opportunity to haul up close under her stern, 
as we knew in the conditions then existing, she must pass 
the draw first, and if we allowed the other boats to get 
ahead of us, Bordentown would not be reached before 
midnight. Long coal trains passed and repassed the 
bridge, and it seemed as if they were using the track upon 
the bridge as a drilling ground to make up freight trains. 
At times there would be intervals of ten minutes between 
the passing of trains, and yet the draw would not open. 
I was surprised at the apathy of the boat captains at 
this delay, as they seemed to take it as a matter of course. 
Speaking to one of them, he replied, "Cussin' won't do 
no good. It's thrown away. There's been cusses 
enough thrown at that bridge to melt its iron beams, but 
the railroad owns the canal, and they ain't going to open 

that bridge until they get d d good and ready." 

Minutes of waiting grew into hours, and our hopes of 
seeing Philadelphia that night were blasted. Finally, after 
a two-hours' delay, the draw was opened and we passed 
through in the wake of the steamer. A short distance 
below this bridge is the first of the descending locks. In 
entering a descending lock it is best to halt the boat just 



15 

forward of the middle of the lock. In case two yachts 
are locked through together, as sometimes happens, al- 
ways choose the front end of the lock if you have the 
choice. The locks here are very close together, and 
the bridges across the canal closer still, and with so many 
boats trying to crowd through, it was slow and tedious 
work getting along, and it took us nearly three hours to 
cover the seven miles between Trenton and Bordentown. 
Arriving at Bordentown we tied up above the lock, it 
having taken us eleven hours to do the forty-four miles. 
Taking in consideration the delay of two hours at Tren- 
ton, the reader will have some idea of what is meant by 
that elastic term, "Greatly in excess of the four-and-a- 
half-an-hour limit," which I used when mentioning fines. 
Yachts which intend to stop in Bordentown should always 
tie up at the dock on the port side above the lock, as the 
accommodation in the Delaware below the lock is very 
poor, and what little there is, is monopolized by tugs. 

It is presumed that the person intending to make this 
trip has supplied himself with the necessary charts. If 
he has not, it will be better for him to write to the Super- 
intendent of the Geodetic and Coast Survey at Washing- 
ton, D. C., for a catalogue and map of charts, which will 
be supplied gratis. From this he can learn the price of 
the following necessary ones: Charts No. 126, 131, 132 
to 137 inclusive; 140, 142, 143, 147 to 165 inclusive; 
375, 386, 420, 421, 437. If he wishes to run up to Rich- 
mond and Washington, let him add to these 401a to 40 le 
inclusive, and 388 to 391 inclusive. There are many 
other charts of Bays and Sounds on a larger scale, but 
I have not found them of any practical value, except in 



i6 

exceptional instances, and these I have included in the 
Hst. 

Bordentown is a very pretty village, situated on a 
high bluff on the Delaware River. To reach the town 
you must ascend a long flight of wooden stairs. Here we 
stopped for the night, and the following morning ran 
down the Delaware. Coming out of the lock into the 
river care must be taken lest we run upon a shoal which 
lies directly ahead. In my numerous passages through 
this place I can recall but one time in which I did not 
see at least one yacht aground on this shoal. A black buoy 
lies about one-fourth of a mile ahead, and a person 
coming out of the lock would naturally steer for it, 
and find himself high and dry on the shoal. To 
avoid this, as soon as we are clear of the lock docks 
we steer for an old broken-down dock directly below. 
Passing these docks, about fifty feet away, we keep 
around in the bend of the river on the Eastern shore, ap- 
proaching the black buoy which marks the lower end of 
the shoal, on a gradual curve, leaving the buoy on the 
starboard hand. We then favor port side of the river 
until we are past the Fieldsborough Mills. Here we take 
midstream until we are nearly opposite Northern end of 
Newbolds Island. Here we favor the Western shore 
about a mile, or until we are nearly opposite Southern 
end of island. Here we cross over toward a red buoy, and 
after passing the buoy keep well into the bend on the 
port shore, and follow this bend around, keeping about 
150 feet away from the sedge grass until we are about 
300 yards away from and above a high sand bluff with 
short dock extending out from it. We then run for this 



17 

dock, passing close to it, and run along this shore until 
we are opposite Florence dock, which is a short distance 
below. Here we take a diagonal course to the opposite 
side of the river and favor this shore until we are op- 
posite the head of Burlington Island. Here we take 
midstream, curving in toward Bristol, which is on the 
starboard bank, and favor starboard shore until 
below Burlington, which is on the port shore. 
Here we take midstream again until we are abreast 
the upper end of Edgewood Park on the port shore, 
when we cross over and keep well into the bend 
along the Park until we are nearly abreast of Beverly 
dock below. Here we cross to the other side of the 
river, heading about in a line for a small wooden hut 
on the starboard shore. Here we take the middle of 
the river, favoring the port shore a little, until we are 
opposite Torresdale on the starboard shore. About a 
mile below this is a reef of rocks running parallel to 
the port shore. These are marked by a black buoy at 
each end of the reef. About a mile below the black 
buoys is a red one, and after passing this we gradually 
draw in toward the port shore, heading toward the River- 
ton steamer landing, which has a house upon it. Here we 
draw out into midstream again, and gradually work 
our way toward the factories with tall chimneys on the 
starboard shore. We run along this shore until we are 
past the factories, and then head for the draw in the 
bridge which spans the river at this point. This draw 
is 70 feet above surface of the water at low tide. Tide 
rises about six feet. Unmasted vessels may pass through 
the two arches West of the draw. Here we keep middle 



of the river to Philadelphia. The best place to anchor in 
Philadelphia is just below Petty Island on the Camden 
side of the river. A good place to tie up is just below 
Cramp's shipyard (which may be known by its large 
derrick), at Patterson & Hughes' rolling mills, which 
may be known by their round iron chimneys and a 
pile of scrap iron upon the wharf. Tie up on North- 
ern side of wharf. Plere you are out of the way of 
swells from ferryboats. As soon as you have made 
fast, go to the office of the company, a short distance 
away on Montgomery street, and obtain permission to 
lay there. Having obtained this permission, the watch- 
man at the gates will pass you at any hour of the 
night, Philadelphia is 27 miles from Bordentown and 
40 miles from Delaware City. From Philadelphia to 
Delaware City, the place below where the canal enters, the 
river is well buoyed and no difficulty need be experienced 
in navigating it. Passing Chester, between Chester Island 
and the city we pass Wilmington and Newcastle. Here 
we keep around in the bend of the river until we reach 
Delaware City. In approaching the canal it is best to 
follow the docks around on the starboard side, so as to be 
able to tie up in case there are any rafts in the lock, as 
these cannot be seen, and in coming out of the lock they 
require a large space to maneuver in. This canal con- 
nects the Delaware with Back Creek, a small stream which 
empties into Elk River, which in turn empties into 
Chesapeake Bay. It is 13 miles long, and has three 
locks, one at each end and one four miles from Dela- 
ware City. Rates of toll for yachts thirteen cents a ton. 
They are more particular in regard to speed than in 



19 

any other canal on the route, and will probably give you 
a time card showing the exact number of minutes which 
must be occupied in reaching certain points on the route. 
Speed allowed four and one-half miles per hour, or three 
hours for the whole trip. Vessels whose masts are over 
thirty-three feet from the water-line must have all draws 
opened for them. Draught of water allowed seven feet. 
The canal passes through a series of small lakes at its 
Eastern end, and is very wide, but at its Western end it 
is very narrow and care must be taken in meeting large 
freight steamers passing through, so as to avoid passing 
them in bends in the canal. 

Leaving Bordentown at six thirty a. m. and favored 
with the ebb tide, we soon reach Philadelphia. Having 
no occasion to stop there, we kept on past the city, and 
reached Delaware City and passed into the canal at one 
p. m. All kinds of provisions may be secured here. We 
had no interruption in the canal until we had passed the 
railroad bridge at the Western end. Here the canal is 
very narrow, and a couple of freight barges with tows 
had, in passing each other, become wedged in between 
the banks. This promised a long delay, and there was 
nothing to do but tie up to the bank and possess our 
souls in patience until such time as they could extricate 
themselves. We had intended getting through the canal 
in time to pass down the creek and run to Baltimore that 
evening in order to fill our gasolene tanks the next morn- 
ing, which being Saturday and a half holiday the oil 
works closed before noon. After waiting an hour, the 
tows succeeded in passing each other. Following the 
steamer ahead, which had three large barges in tow, we 



20 

waited for a place in the canal wide enough for us to 
pass them. Several times we tried to do this, but each 
time just as we would get to the bow of the rearmost 
barge the strong suction would pull us against her side 
and hold us there as if we were fastened with a tow-line. 
Full speed ahead did no good; we could not budge an 
inch ahead, and then seeing a bend in the canal ahead 
we were forced to drop back to avoid being crushed 
against the bank. The tow traveled at a snail's pace, and 
falling behind we allowed the yacht to be gently drawn 
along by the suction of the last barge. By this time we 
had given up hopes of reaching the Chesapeake that night, 
as we would have to wait until the barges had locked 
through at Chesapeake City, and each one of these would 
consume fifteen or twenty minutes in doing so. Arriv- 
ing at the lock, we made preparations to tie up to the 
bank, but just then the locktender, recognizing the 
Roamer, sent a man back to tell us that if we would work 
ahead of the barges, he would lock us through first. This 
amply repaid us for former courtesies extended to the 
lock officials on former trips, by inviting them aboard, 
and extending the "honors" in the saloon. I have found 
in passing through canals there is no better investment 
than a few cheery words of greeting to the locktender 
when entering, and a friendly conversation when the 
lock is being filled or emptied, with a few cigars on leav- 
ing. This goes much further than the tips I was in the 
habit of giving when new to the business, and leaves a 
better impression behind, to bear fruit in the future, as 
in the present instance. Thanking the locktender as we 
entered the lock, he replied, "Oh ! they have got to wait 



21 

for their tug, anyhow. It is down the creek and won't 
be here for an hour yet, and I thought you had rather 
be tied up snugly to dock below than be drifting around 
the canal." Yachts intending to stop here for the night 
should pass through the lock and tie to the dock above 
the lock, as the lower docks are used for barges and canal 
boats. Chesapeake City, notwithstanding its big-sound- 
ing title, is a small town of a few hundred inhabitants. Ice 
and provisions can be obtained here and pilots down the 
creek if desired. Back Creek is a narrow winding stream, 
which empties into Elk River about six miles below the 
canal, and having a least depth of seven feet. Yachts 
drawing over five feet would do well to start from Chesa- 
peake City at dead low water, the shoals then can be 
plainly seen, and if by accident the yacht touches bottom 
the rising tide would soon float her off. Rise of tide 
about two feet. Do not be alarmed by stories which pilots, 
anxious to be engaged, will tell you about sunken raft logs 
in the creek. A few years ago the creek was full of them, 
but lately the colored people have found a way of spear- 
ing them from the bottom, and by means of a raft with 
a windlass on it lift them to the surface and tow them 
up to the city, where they obtain a dollar apiece for them. 
Every foot of the creek has been thoroughly explored by 
lazy darkies anxious for rum and tobacco money. The 
creek is easily navigated, the ebb tide always flowing in 
the same direction, and here will be found of value the 
knowledge obtained in the Raritan River. 

It was low water when we locked out into the creek. 
The air was still, and the sun just about setting. Its 
reddish rays, slanting upon the surface of the water, 



22 

brought out with extreme vividness every shoal, and the 
channel was plainly marked by lines of tiny bublets on 
either side. Just below the lock there is a sharp bend 
in the creek. We keep well into this bend until nearly 
opposite a dock on the port shore at the lower end of the 
bend. Here we cross over to the dock and into the bend 
below it. In this way we navigate the creek, keeping 
as near the center as possible, but always favoring the 
bends above the points. Where two points jut out nearly 
abreast each other, take midstream between them. About 
five miles below the lock there juts out from the port 
shore a long dock with a post light on the end of it. We 
approach this under one bell, as there is shoal water if 
we stand too far into the bend above, and there is also 
a shoal on the starboard hand. It should be approached 
on a curve, so as to pass it about fifty feet away, and im- 
mediately after passing it curve in to port so as to pass 
midway between two fish pounds extending out from 
opposite sides of the creek. Here the creek broadens out 
into the junction of the Elk River, about a mile below. 
Nearly opposite junction is a beacon light in midstream, 
which we head for, leaving it about two hundred feet 
to the starboard. It was growing dusk now, but we can 
just make out the outlines of a dock at Towns Point, 
about a mile below. This we make for, intending to tie 
up here for the night, but find it occupied by a tug wait- 
ing for a tow, so we swing out into stream again and let 
go the anchor, and as the stern of the yacht slowly 
swings up stream under the influence of the incoming 
tide we go down to dinner; the sound of quack, quack, 
coming to our ears from a low-flying flock of canvas- 



23 

backs, the early harbingers of many thousands which 
will swarm in these waters a few weeks hence. After 
dinner, feeling delightfully tired with our day's run, 
which although short — 88 miles — has been full of varied 
experiences, we recline on the upper deck in steamer 
chairs, thoroughly enjoying the warm, balmy night air, 
until under the soothing influence of a good cigar, our 
eyelids slowly close, the burning cigar drops into our 
lap, and awaking with a start, we go below for a de- 
licious night's rest, and an early start in the morning. 

At dawn the following morning, we were underway. 
A midstream course soon brings us to Turkey Point 
Light, where the Elk River empties into Chesapeake 
Bay. Had it been three weeks later we would have 
turned to the Northward here, and heading between the 
light and Spesutie Island, ran up to Havre de Grace at 
the mouth of the Susquehanna River. Here is the para- 
dise of duck hunters in the Fall of the year. All along 
our route from New Brunswick, launches and yachts 
were being fitted out in readiness for the first cold snap, 
which would bring countless flocks to their favorite wild 
celery feeding ground in the head waters of the 
Chesapeake. 

Passing Turkey Point midway between it and the op- 
posite shore, a twelve and three-quarter mile Southwest 
by West three-fourths West course brings us to a red 
can buoy ofif Wortens Point, when we change course to 
Southwest one-fourth South for three and three-fourths 
miles. This brings us up to black can buoy No. 3. 
Leaving this on the starboard hand we steer Southwest 
by West five-eighths West for one mile and pass red can 



24 

buoy No. 2, then steering Southwest one-fourth West 
we run for two miles and pass black spar buoy No. i. 
Here we steer Southwest by West five-eighths West 13 
miles, which course brings us abreast and about one 
mile distant from North Point and into the main ship 
channel to Baltimore. This channel is a dredged one, 
well buoyed, with plenty of water for us a quarter of a 
mile each side of the channel. Heading for Fort Carrol, 
which is a fort and lighthouse situated in the middle of 
the bay about four miles away, so as to pass it leaving 
it to port, we follow up the buoyed channel to Lazaretto 
Point and lighthouse on Northern shore. Turning into 
the bend on the right hand we follow up the shore and 
wharves to the Standard Oil works, situated on a long 
wharf covered by a wooden building, just below ex- 
tensive coal docks and chutes. It was now ten a. m. and 
we found that we were in good time to replenish our 
gasolene tanks, which we filled up to the last drop, as I 
have found this to be the cheapest place in the United 
States to obtain it. They were asking fifteen cents in 
New York, while we obtained it here for eleven. This is 
a good place to tie up if it is the intention to spend any 
length of time in Baltimore, as the trolley cars are handy 
to take you up to the city. A better place is at the head 
of the Patapsco River at the foot of Calvert Street. Here 
are the public docks, but in the oyster season they are 
fully occupied by the oyster fleet. 

After filling with gasolene we concluded to run up 
and risk the chance of getting a berth. Standing out 
from the oil works, we reach across the river to the 
large elevator buildings on the opposite side, and then 



25 

keep on straight up the river, avoiding the deep bay which 
extends out on the port hand, until just before reaching 
the place at the head of the river where all the large bay 
and river steamers are berthed, when turning to right 
sharply around a point about 500 feet from these steam- 
ers we shoot up to the city docks. Both the low dock 
ahead and the Fruit Company's dock on the right are city 
wharves, and any vessel has a right to tie up to them 
by paying the wharfage fee, one dollar. 

The low city dock at the foot of Calvert Street and its 
immediate vicinity was crowded with vessels, but there 
was an empty berth at the Fruit Company's dock, which 
we appropriated. The only objection to tying up here is, 
that if a large fruit steamer should arrive, the harbor 
master would oblige you to move. Should this occur, 
there is a slip two wharves below, on one side of which 
is a steamboat wharf, and on the other side a grain mill, 
and I have sometimes tied up here. We devoted the 
early part of the afternoon to putting in stores and 
answering mail awaiting us here, and then madame and 
mvself jumped on our bicycles and rode out to Druid 
Park. 

I forgot to state earlier that the distance from 
Town Point to Baltimore, our last day's run, is 47 miles. 

The following day was Sunday, and we had intended 
to stop over in Baltimore until Monday morning, but the 
day with its gentle Westerly air seemed to be an ideal 
one for a run down the Chesapeake, and it seemed almost 
a crime not to take advantage of it. 

Baltimore was an old story to us all; the rays of the 
sun, reflected from the glassy surface of the slip, rendered 



26 

the interior of the yacht uncomfortable, and drove the 
crew to the shelter of the fruit docks. A desire to be in 
motion possessed us all, so we cast off the lines and started 
down the bay. Passing North Point, and reaching out 
into the broad waters of the Chesapeake, the light South- 
west air freshened, and before we had reached Sand Point, 
24 miles below Baltimore, developed into a half gale, 
which being directly in our teeth kicked up a nasty, chop- 
py sea, and led us to conclude that a harbor was the most 
appropriate place for us just then. There was a good 
harbor in the Magothy River, just abreast of us then, but 
we decided to run to Annapolis, which is on the Severn 
River, seven miles below Sandy Point Light. This light 
stands out in the bay about one-half mile from the shore, 
and when we are abreast of it, we steer Southwest, one- 
fourth South for four miles. This will bring us to an 
H. S. buoy. Passing this, we draw in toward Greenburg 
Point Shoal Light, which stands out in the water about 
three-eighths mile from Greenburg Point. The channel 
is well buoyed, and we follow up the buoys, turning 
into a bay on our left toward the white marble naval 
building. Just beyond this building is a wharf to which 
we make fast. In Annapolis is located the U. S. Naval 
Academy, and the quaint old city is well worth a visit, if 
only to learn how quickly a person may lose his way and 
as quickly recover his bearings again. 

The center of the city is the State House. This is in 
the form of a circle and represents the hub of a wheel, 
from which, like spokes in a wheel, radiate the streets; 
the cross streets forming concentric circles. Let anyone 
turn into one of these cross streets, and in a few moments 



27 

he loses his bearings, and on a cloudy day could not tell in 
what direction of the compass he is traveling and is 
almost sure to go far wide of the direction and point he 
thinks he is approaching. In this dilemma, it is only 
necessary to turn into one of the spokes of the wheel and 
it will bring him to the hub, or State House, again. 

The strong Southwester continued during the after- 
noon, but just before sunset a heavy thunder storm arose, 
and in the evening the weather cleared up with a light 
air from the Northwest. This presaged a good day's 
run for the morrow, provided the Northwester, which 
was sure to increase at sunrise, did not blow too hard and 
haul into the North, a thing which these winds are prone 
to do in the Fall of the year, and which would send the 
big three-masters scurrying down the Chesapeake under 
balanced reef, mainsail and jib. Chesapeake Bay is much 
like Long Island Sound, and is well provided with harbors. 
The tides in it are strong and any heavy wind is apt to 
draw up or down the bay, kicking up a nasty, choppy 
sea, particularly in crossing the mouths of the large rivers 
on the Western side. For the first 20 miles below An- 
napolis harbors are plentiful on the Western shore, the 
first being South River, to enter which you round Thomas 
Point Light close to, and steer West one-fourth North 
for a mile and a half, passing red spar buoy, until up to 
black spar buoy No. i, then Northwest until half mile 
above Turkey Point, when you can turn to the right into 
Duvalls Creek, or to the left into Selbys Bay, or you 
may keep on the Northwest course until past the red buoy 
No. 6 and anchor in the bend above Hills Point. These 
are the best harbors and easiest reached, although there 



28 

are good harbors in Rhodes and West Rivers, about 
three miles farther South, to enter which steer from 
Thomas Point Southwest three-fourths West three miles, 
to black spar buoy No. i, then steer for red spar buoy 
about a mile and a half ahead and one-eighth mile to star- 
board, and when up to it steer West one-half North one 
mile to enter Rhodes River, or West by South, one-fourth 
South, two miles, to enter West River. Steering South- 
west by South three-eighths South, ten and one-half miles 
from Thomas Point, will bring you up to black spar 
buoy No. I, entrance to Herring Bay; then a Westerly 
by Southerly course, one and three-quarter miles, will 
bring you up to red spar buoy No. 2, rounding which a 
North course will bring you up to head of bay. Twenty- 
five miles below this is another harbor for Northerly and 
Westerly winds. Cove Point Light, which is the entrance 
to the Patuxent River. This forms a good shelter, but 
there is a swell rolling in which makes it uncomfortable at 
anchor. A fine place for anchorage is still farther up the 
river, around Drum Point Light. The chart shows good 
water close aboard the light, but a shoal has made out 
from it and it should be given a berth of six hundred 
feet. After passing the light, turn up into the cove at 
the right, and keep up this cove about three-quarters 
of a mile, leaving to port an oyster bank whose 
extremity is marked by an H. S. buoy. Anchor midway 
between shore and buoy. A beautiful little harbor is 
Solomons Island, one and a half miles above this. To 
enter this, follow up line of shore until past black spar 
buoy No. 3, and then gradually draw across to the steam- 
boat dock inside the point, or anchor about 500 feet be- 



29 

yond. This is a perfectly landlocked harbor and is very 
handy when you happen to be caught in a three-days' 
Norther, as happened to the writer once. 

Twenty-five miles below this is the mouth of the Po- 
tomac River, at Cape Lookout. In the bight around the 
cape there is a shelter from Northerly winds but a very 
miserable harbor. I speak from experience on this point, 
for last Spring we ran in there after dark and anchored 
near a schooner. During the night a squall sprang up 
and we narrowly escaped being blown ashore. We passed 
a miserable night and daylight revealed to us the schooner 
high and dry on the point of the cape. The mouth of the 
river is wide, the tide is swift, and no matter in which di- 
rection the wind is, it will draw up or down the river. 
Seven miles up the river is a fine harbor on the Western 
shore in Smiths Creek. Follow up the shore about half 
mile distant, and pass in between black and red beacon 
lights, and to port of red buoy; then head up into the 
creek, favoring the port shore, and anchor between that 
shore and dock on starboard shore just below bend in the 
creek and a small creek making out from port shore. 
If you wish to tie up to dock on starboard shore, do not 
stand in to it until nearly opposite it. Washington, D. C, 
is ninety-eight miles above this. 

The Potomac is a broad river, easy navigable. From 
this point — Smiths Point — the tide does not commence to 
flow up the river until five hours after high water at Point 
Lookout, and with a vessel making ten miles per hour 
it can be carried to Alexandria, six miles below Washing- 
ton. As a rule, this is the case in all the rivers flowing in- 
to Chesapeake Bay, and it is even the same with the bay 



30 

itself, the tide not commencing to run North until three 
and a half hours after high water at Fortress Monroe. 
The mouth of the Potomac from Cape Lookout to Smiths 
Point opposite is eleven miles across. The current is 
strong, and when running against the wind the sea is very 
rough and choppy, much more so than it is two or three 
miles farther out on the bay, and it is much better to 
head out for the lighthouse, which is built out opposite 
Smiths Point, about three miles into the bay. 

Seven and one-half miles below this light is Great 
Wicomico River, in which is a splendid harbor in any 
wind. From the Bay Light off Smiths Point, steer 
Southeast one-fourth East, seven miles, to the lighthouse 
off Fleets Point ; then steer West by North three-fourths 
North to red buoy, and then turn in Cockrill Creek. Go 
up creek and turn sharp point into a bay and Scalier 
Creek on starboard shore. About twenty miles below 
this is an excellent harbor in the Plankatank River. To 
enter this, when opposite Rappahannock Spit Light, steer 
Southwest by South three and one-eighth miles to Stin- 
gray Point Light, then Southwest, one-fourth West three 
miles to black can buoy No. i, then South, Southwest one- 
fourth West to black spar buoy No. 3 and up to red spar 
buoy No. 2, then steer South, three-fourths West to scale 
black and red buoys. Passing between them, turn to port 
and anchor in mouth of Scall Creek, which has a house 
and dock just around point of creek. Other good har- 
bors can be found below this in Mob jack Bay, below 
Wolf Trap Spit Light. From Wolf Trap, steer South- 
west, one-half South, eight and one-half miles to New 
Point Comfort Light, giving the point a berth of about a 



31 

quarter of a mile, and then run up into East River for 
Northerly winds, or into Ware, Severn, or North River 
for Southerly winds. Just to the South of York River 
is a fine little harbor in Back River, the entrance to which 
is just above Back River Light and is well buoyed out. 
On the East side of the Chesapeake there are several good 
harbors, though I have never had occasion to use them; 
in fact, either on one side of the bay, or the other, there 
is a harbor every twenty miles or less, the whole length 
of the bay. 

We passed a very pleasant day in Annapolis, the strong 
Southwest wind tempering the heat, so that it made it 
very pleasant rambling around the old city. In the even- 
ing clouds rose in the North; the Southwest wind grew 
moderate, and about eight p. m. a Southern thunder storm 
with its incessant lightning and continuous rolls of thunder 
burst upon us, clearing up with bright starlight and light 
Northerly air, peculiarly grateful and refreshing after 
the hot day. 

At daylight the next morning the wind was blowing 
fresh Northwest, a good wind to run down the bay, pro- 
vided it did not haul into the North, which it is quite 
prone to do in the Fall of the year here, and a Norther in 
the Chesapeake, particularly when the tide is running 
flood, is not a thing to be sneezed at. Rendered cautious 
by a former experience in the Waikiki, when starting 
under much the same circumstances, the wind hauled into 
the North when we reached the middle of the bay, and 
kicked up such a heavy sea that we dared not bring her 
side to it to reach a harbor on either side, and were forced 
to run before it 70 miles in company with big three- 



32 

masters under balanced reef mainsail and jib, we delayed 
starting until a couple of hours after sunrise. Then the 
wind seeming to hold true Northwest we started. Reach- 
ing out into the middle of the bay, the wind hauled North, 
Northwest, and increased to a velocity of 40 miles an 
hour, but as the tide was just beginning to ebb, the sea 
was comparatively smooth, and with mainsail and jib 
set to steady her, we made a splendid run down the bay, 
anchoring before sunset in Mob jack Bay, 127 miles below 
Annapolis. The only difficulty experienced was once or 
twice in running into a maze of fish pounds, when in run- 
ning around the heads of them, we were forced to bring 
her broadside to the sea. I had figured to run out into the 
bay far enough to avoid these pounds, but each year they 
are built out farther, until in some places they are six miles 
out from shore and really form a serious obstruction to 
navigation. They are built out from shore in almost a 
solid mass, only a small opening about 100 feet wide be- 
ing left between the head of one pound and the foot of 
the next. Time will be saved by keeping wholly outside 
of them, no matter how far they may seem to extend out 
into the bay, as once among them, the zigzag course 
necessary to pass them will force you to sail a longer 
distance than if you ran out a mile or two at first, to say 
nothing of the danger of striking the propeller on an old 
submerged stump. Once among them — and it will 
astonish you how easily and unwittingly you can be 
caught in the labyrinth — always steer for head of the 
pound where the cluster of stakes is, as this is the only 
place where there is a passage. 



33 

The gale died away at sunset and we passed a quiet 
night in Mob jack Bay.. The wind rose again the fol- 
lowing morning, but had not the same strength behind 
it as on the previous day. Starting after early coffee, we 
soon ran down to Fortress Monroe, 26 miles, and passed 
into Hampton Roads. Passing the Rip Raps and the 
fort, we ran for the black can buoy, which lies two miles 
away in a Southwesterly, one-half Westerly direction 
from the fort and lighthouse, and marks the entrance into 
the dredged channel to Norfolk. This channel is well 
buoyed and we soon ran up to Norfolk, twelve miles 
from Old Point Comfort. In going up we pass to the 
starboard of a red lightship and to the port of a light- 
house built out in the river. Running past extensive 
coal wharfs and the docks of the large bay steamers above, 
we tie up to the Standard Oil Go's works, which is a 
long brick building about a half mile above the bay 
steamer's dock, and just below a ferry running from 
Norfolk to Portsmouth. There are always a number of 
tugs tied up at an adjoining wharf above. Here we fill 
up with gasolene, as it is the only place where we can 
obtain it at a reasonable price this side of Charleston, 
S. C. — one cent a gallon more than at Baltimore. It can 
be obtained at Beaufort, N. C, and at Wilmington, also 
at Georgetown, S. C, by paying from 16 to 20 cents per 
gallon for it. Just above the oil dock, the Elizabeth 
divides into two branches, the North and South branch. 
On the point between these two branches is the city of 
Berkley, which is the best place to fill up with water. 
Here is a deep slip situated between a long brick building 
and extensive coal sheds on the first wharf East of a ferry 



34 

slip. In here is a capital and quiet place to tie up if any 
long stay is to be made at Norfolk, as the ferry alongside 
plies between here and Norfolk every ten minutes. 

Ice and provisions can be obtained here, and there is 
a machine shop for repairs. There are two routes from 
Norfolk into Albemarle Sound, N. C. One via the Chesa- 
peake and Albemarle Canal ; the other via the Dismal 
Swamp, or as it is now called, the Lake Drummond Canal. 
The distances are about the same, that via Lake Drum- 
mond being a trifle the longest. The latter is the better 
route, the river navigation being easier, and the canal 
infinitely superior. The entrance of the Chesapeake and 
Albemarle Sound Canal is at the head of the South branch 
of the Elizabeth River, 12 miles above Norfolk. This 
canal leads into the North Landing River, Currituck 
Sound, and North River into the Albemarle. There are 
shoals in all of these rivers not marked with buoys, and 
as there is no tidal current above Elizabeth, picl^ing out 
the channel is largely a matter of chance. 

Having filled up with gasolene at Norfolk, we ran over 
to Berkley and filled up w^ith ice and water. After dinner, 
coming out of the slip, we turned to port into the South 
branch, and passed the Navy Yard up to the railroad 
bridge, keeping in midstream. Above the bridge are ex- 
tensive flats, but these are marked out with buoys. As 
often the paint is worn off these buoys and on cloudy days 
it is difficult to distinguish the color, I will give the color 
of buoys in the order in which they appear above the 
bridge : Black, red, black, red, black, black, red. Four 
miles above Norfolk the river makes a sharp turn to the 
left at almost right angles, and a deep creek which appears 



35 

to be the main stream is on the right, as the main 
branch of the river cannot be seen from below. Strangers 
ahiiost invariably steer for the wrong channel and ground 
at the entrance of the wrong one, which is the old entrance 
to the Dismal Swamp Canal. On the neck of land be- 
tween these two streams is a sawmill. From the last red 
buoy steer toward a dock on right bank, keeping close 
to it, and then head for the log raft just above the saw- 
mill, then curve out into midstream, and toward left 
bank and follow up that bank to the drawbridge ahead. 
Passing through the draw, we keep in midstream one 
mile until up to Deep Creek on the right. This entrance 
is marked with a sign board, ''Lake Drummond Canal." 
At the entrance is a red spar buoy. We leave this to star- 
board, and keeping well away from Northern point of 
creek, run well into the bend on opposite side until well 
past the point of entrance, and then gradually draw out 
into the middle of creek. The creek is about two and a 
half miles long and its bottom is composed of shifting 
quicksands, so we run up at slow speed, keeping as near 
midstream as possible, but favoring the bends a trifle. 
About half a mile below the lock, just above a sunken 
barge, the creek broadens out, forming a small bay on 
each side. Just ahead of small bay on starboard side the 
canal bank begins, and may be distinguished by the bank 
of sand thrown up on starboard bank of canal. We keep 
close to this bank, and follow it up to the lock, and pass 
in. 

The canal is one of the best, if not the best, in the 
Eastern part of the United States.. Depth, nine feet; 
width of locks, forty feet; length ditto, two hundred 



36 

and fifty feet. Rates of toll for yachts, twenty-five 
cents per gross tonnage. It has only two locks, one at 
either end. It is perfectly straight, almost as the crow 
flies, in its whole length of twenty-two miles. At its 
Western end, it debouches into Moccasin Creek, which 
in turn empties into the Pasquotank River. Moccasin 
Creek used to be an extremely tortuous stream, but two 
years ago the Government deepened and widened and 
straightened it so that now it is first-class. With the 
exception of the Everglades of Florida, the Dismal Swamp 
is the largest swamp in the United States, and until the 
canal was cut through, well deserved its epithet of Dis- 
mal. In pro-slavery days it was the retreat and refuge 
of hundreds of runaway slaves. Hundreds of square 
miles in extent, covered with a dense, impenetrable forest 
of cypress and juniper; the home and lurking place of 
the venomous moccasin snakes and hordes of gnats and 
mosquitoes, no white man could penetrate far into its 
gloomy depths. How the runaways existed under these 
circumstances is a mystery, for domestic cattle turned into 
the swamp to browse during the Winter months are in- 
variably driven out by the insects in the Spring, maddened 
by the torture. During the Civil War, the writer was 
stationed with his company at the Northern edge of the 
swamp, and a family of nine negroes came into our lines, 
the seven children of which had never looked upon the 
face of a white man before. Now all is changed. The 
canal has drained thousands of acres of the richest land 
in the State of Virginia. Lumber companies, by lateral 
ditches to float out the logs, have penetrated far into 
the interior of the swamp, and hamlets are springing 



37 

up along the canal bank. The water in the canal, colored 
by the roots of the juniper, is of a dark, rich, wine hue. 
In former years this was thought to be the best water 
for seagoing purposes in the world, and navy vessels 
bound on long cruises, always filled with water from the 
Elizabeth River, which drains the swamp. We passed 
through the lock at Deep Creek and reached Wallaceton 
six miles beyond before sunset, having made a run of 
fifty-five miles that day. Here we tied up for the night, 
as it was dangerous to run at night in the canal on ac- 
count of the number of cypress roots which, half-con- 
cealed, are floating in it and are apt to break the pro- 
peller blades. These roots, left in the sides of the banks 
when the canal was cut through the forest, are continu- 
ally caving into the water. The next morning we were 
off at sunrise. The morning was a beautifully clear one, 
not chilly, but with that delicious tinge of crispness in 
the air which makes it seem laden with ozone — every 
breath an exhilarating one. As far as the eye could 
reach, the canal stretched away in a straight line, nar- 
rowing down into a mere thread in the distance, present- 
ing the appearance of a long, amber-colored needle pierc- 
ing the green forest in the distance. As the sun arose 
beyond the tips of the trees, its rays tinged the wine- 
colored water to a deeper hue, until it seemed as if the 
yacht were gliding through a huge artery of blood. 
Large, long-legged, white and black cranes sprang up 
from the sedges, and with slow flight sail ahead a few 
yards, then alight, and spring up again as we approach, 
repeating the performance for miles. Occasionally a 
flock of wild turkeys would be seen. A month later when 



38 

the early frosts have banished the mosquitoes, the hunters 
will be after them. At the first drawbridge, we cross the 
boundary line of Virginia and North Carolina, and at 
breakfast time are in the lock. 

Locking down into Moccasin Creek below, we run 
four miles and pass into the Pasquotank River, fourteen 
miles below which is Elizabeth City. The passage down 
this river is one of the most charming on the whole route 
from New York to Florida. To those only accustomed 
to Northern cruising, it is a revelation of beauty. It is 
quite narrow at its upper end, very crooked, and with but 
few straight stretches of over 600 feet. If a yacht does 
not answer her helm very quickly, one bell must be the 
order of sailing. With one exception, the river is deep 
from bank. 

The sun had become very hot by the time we had en- 
tered the river, and as we glided under the shaded arch- 
way of trees overhanging the stream, the sensation was 
exquisitely cool and delicious. The straight stretches were 
so short, that we seemed ever to be gliding into the heart 
of some primeval South American forest. Ahead the 
thick maze of tall cypress trees seems an impenetrable 
barrier to our further progress, and just as we are about 
to ring down and reverse at full speed to avoid rushing 
into the woods, the stream opens out suddenly on right 
or left, disclosing a stretch of wine-colored water for a 
short distance, only to be hidden by a bend beyond. We 
keep the whistle sounding at frequent intervals to an- 
nounce our coming to any unseen craft below, when sud- 
denly it is answered by the blast of a steam whistle so 
near that our ears tingle with its shriek; instinctively we 



39 

grip the wheel hard and await the coming crash which 
seems to be inevitable ; drawing a long sigh of relief, as 
shooting around the bend we find the next stretch clear. 
Slowing down, we keep the whistle sounding, and an- 
swering signals float through the forest now close aboard, 
and then far away, until presently the pufif of a tug is 
heard; curls of steam appear above the tree tops close 
beside us; the outlines of a pilothouse and chimney 
appear, seemingly going in the same direction as our- 
selves ; ahead is a very sharp bend, and in a few moments 
the nose of a tug coming up stream thrusts itself out 
of the woods to meet us. Since we first heard her whistle, 
we have run nearly a mile, yet so sinuous is the river's 
course, that at times we have not been five hundred feet 
away, and at others a quarter of a mile. The tug is pull- 
ing barges of lumber and scows and sloops laden with 
cotton, resin and turpentine going to Norfolk for a 
market. We stop, and holding on to the branches of 
the trees at the side of the stream, wait until they pass 
the bend before we start. We keep a good lookout for 
a sunken log which is in the middle of the river, about 
seven miles below the lock, and which is the only ob- 
struction in the river. A short distance below the log, 
the river broadens out forming an extensive shoal in 
the middle, just above a house on the left-hand bank. 
This shoal is buoyed out with red and black buoys, the 
first buoy being a red one near a point, which we leave 
to port. A short distance ahead of this, the stream is 
divided by an island in the center. We take the port 
channel, passing a black buoy at upper end of island, and 
presently come to a drawbridge. 



40 

Here we toot the whistle vigorously, and ring down, 
for the bridge tenders live some distance from the bridge 
and are none too hasty in their movements. It takes a 
long time to get the draw open, and there is a strong cur- 
rent in the river setting tow^ard the bridge. About two 
miles beyond the draw, Elizabeth City appears in sight 
suddenly as we round a bend in the river. This is a large, 
progressive town, and everything may be obtained here 
in the way of stores. There is also a machine shop where 
repairs can be made. Stopping only long enough to ob- 
tain the morning papers, we speed down the Pasquotank, 
which here broadens out into a noble river, deep and well 
buoyed, and a midstream course takes us clear of all pos- 
sible danger. Where the river empties into Albemarle 
Sound, seventeen miles below the city, there is a light- 
house built up on piles. We do not run clear down to this 
light, but when opposite Pocoson Point red buoy No. 2, 
we strike across the inside light steering a Northwesterly, 
one-half North course. This course brings us about a 
mile to the right of the lighthouse. There is plenty of 
water on this course, seven feet, and it saves us three miles 
in distance. The course made, a good twenty and one- 
fourth miles, brings us up to Caroon Point black can 
buoy. Leaving this on our starboard hand, we steer di- 
rectly for Croatan Lighthouse, a mile distant ahead, which 
marks the entrance into Croatan Sound, a short stretch of 
water connecting the Albemarle and Pamlico Sounds. 
Leaving this light close aboard on the port hand, a South- 
east, one-half East course four and one-half miles 
through a buoyed channel brings us up to Blockade Bea- 
con, a lantern set upon a cluster of piles, opposite Roanoke 



41 

Island. This light takes its name from the fact that in 
the beginning of the Civil War, the Confederates drove 
a row of piles clear across the Sound at this point to 
prevent the passage of our gunboats, but General Burn- 
side's army, of which the writer was an officer, first cap- 
tured Roanoke Island with its land forces, taking a large 
number of prisoners. The gunboats then forced the pas- 
sage, and chasing the Confederate gunboats which were 
behind the barricade, either captured or destroyed the 
whole fleet before they could reach the defenses of Eliza- 
beth City. A Southeast, three-fourths East course, three 
miles, brings us to Skyco, in Ashbee's Harbor. This is 
the landing place of a line of steamers plying between 
Newbern and Elizabeth City. It has an extensive ware- 
house and fine dock, and affords a good harbor for any- 
thing but a Southwest gale. Skyco is a small post office 
station on Roanoke Island. The island is celebrated as 
being the birthplace of the first white child born in Amer- 
ica. A few years ago the waters in this vicinity were 
teeming with wild ducks in the Fall of the year, and sport- 
ing clubs from New York had clubhouses here, but of 
late years the shooting has been overdone ; the ducks have 
become scarce and wild, and sportsmen must go farther 
South to obtain the old-time sport. 

We left Skyco early next morning, and steering South- 
west by South, seven-eighths South four and five-eighths 
miles brought us to Roanoke Marshes Lighthouse, at the 
Southern end of Croatan Sound and the beginning of 
Pamlico Sound. Near the course last steered there will 
be found marked on the chart two small islands. These 
have been washed away by a hurricane and no trace of 



42 

them is left, the average depth of water being on their 
former site. Near the Hghthouse is an excellent harbor, 
where there is a Rudder station. To make this harbor, 
after leaving the light on the port hand, steer South about 
three-eighths of a mile to black spar buoy, then steer into 
the marsh island opposite and follow up the shore North- 
ward to the harbor, in which there are always quite a 
number of fishing craft and fish houses. Pamlico Sound 
is very broad and has a depth of water averaging twelve 
feet. Despite its shallowness, it becomes very rough in 
fresh Southerly winds. To-day it is clear and warm, with 
a light Northeasterly air, and its surface is smooth, 
ruffled only with the slightest of ripples. From Roanoke 
Marshes Light, we steer South, one-fourth East, nineteen 
and one-fourth miles. This brings us nearly abreast and 
about three miles distant from Long Shoal Lighthouse, 
built upon piles in the Sound. When the light bears 
Northwest, we steer Southwest, one-fourth West nine- 
teen and one-fourth miles toward the Gulf Shoal Light, 
also built on piles, leaving it on starboard hand at about 
the same distance as the last. Continuing on the same 
course twelve and one-fourth miles farther brings us 
to Blufif Shoal Lighthouse. This light was erected the 
present Summer, (1903) and is neither charted nor 
mentioned in the list of lights. The light which will be 
flashing red will be established about January 15, 1904. 
The light takes the place of Bluff Shoal Buoy, as a point 
of departure. 

The courses given hitherto will bring a vessel drawing 
seven feet of water from New York to this point, but 
here vessels drawing more than five feet must part com- 



43 

pany. Vessels of deeper draught must steer Southeast 
by South for the buoyed channel into Ocracoke Inlet, 
and make the remainder of their journey to Charleston, S. 
C, outside. At Ocracoke Inlet is probably the best place 
on the coast for wild geese hunting. Large flocks con- 
gregate here in the Fall of the year, and once when an- 
chored there over night, we found it difficult to sleep on 
account of the continual honk-honk of the geese swim- 
ming around the vessel. The best way to reach these 
grounds is by daily power launch, which runs from Beau- 
fort, N. C, to Ocracoke. At Bluff Shoal Light, vessels 
bound to Newbern, N. C, also take their departure. 
Newbern is situated on the Neuse River, which is 
deep, well buoyed and easily navigable for vessels of 
seven feet draught. Being bound for Core Sound, we 
steer Southwest by West five and three-fourth miles, to- 
ward Royal Shoal Lighthouse, leaving it on the port hand 
about one-half mile. When opposite it we steer South 
by West three-fourths West ten and one-half miles to 
Harbor Island Bar Light, the entrance into Core Sound. 
When we are about a mile from it, we bring it to bear 
South by East, which will bring us in range of the enter- 
ing buoy, about half a mile distant from the light. Here 
it is well to proceed slowly, for with Southerly and 
Westerly winds, the water is shallow over the bar, but 
unless the winds are blowing very fresh, five to six feet 
of water can usually be found on it. From the buoy we 
head directly for the Westerly side of the lighthouse, and 
when almost up to it, give it a berth of fifty feet, and then 
head for the channel stakes beyond, paying particular 
attention to the direction in which the finger marks on the 



44 

stakes point. The mail boat from Ocracoke passes this 
Hght between eight and nine o'clock each morning, and 
her captain will cheerfully allow you to follow him and 
will indicate when you are to keep on the straight course 
when he turns out of the channel to make a landing at a 
post station. The channel from buoy to lighthouse some- 
times changes, so that the light should be approached on 
a curve, but if the whistle is sounded when entering 
buoy is reached, the light keeper will appear on the bal- 
cony and indicate by signs the course to pursue. Pro- 
ceeding slowly, with sounding pole used every few feet, 
we pass without touching, finding a least depth of water 
five feet four inches. Here let me call attention to 
superiority of sounding pole to lead line for frequent 
soundings in shallow water. Every yacht navigating 
these waters should be provided with one, twenty feet 
long, one inch in diameter, marked plainly into six and 
one-foot distances, made of ash or hickory, although 
hard pine makes a good substitute. Another handy 
thing to have aboard is a stout fishing line with a very 
heavy sinker attached. Three feet above the sinker at 
foot intervals, place two or three corks to indicate different 
depths of water. Sometimes, when touching bottom, one 
is uncertain on which side is the best water. This line 
can easily be thrown from 80 to 100 feet, and the corks 
will instantly tell the depth of water without the trouble 
of lowering a boat. Core Sound is a shallow body of 
water from one to three miles wide, and thirty long, 
with depths of water varying from two to nine feet. 
These shoal spots are scattered over the whole body of 
the sound, but in a winding passage between these shoals, 



45 

there is always a depth of from five to six feet. The 
channel is indicated by small posts having upon them a 
finger pointing in the direction of best water. These 
finger marks should not be approached too closely, for 
they are often placed upon the edge of the bank. 

At frequent intervals, always in sight of each other, 
are placed mid-channel beacons, posts about fifteen feet 
high with horizontal slats nailed to them, and which may 
be passed close to on either side, and are so placed in 
straight stretches that you may steer from one to the 
next nearest one in sight. These beacons are some- 
times eaten off by the Teredo, and the finger 
marks knocked down by the sails of passing ves- 
sels. Last Spring when we passed through a large num- 
ber were missing. During the Summer I made complaint 
to the Lighthouse Department at Washington, and re- 
ceived reply that the matter would be attended to as soon 
as possible. Here let me say that I have always found 
the Lighthouse Board officials very courteous, ever ready 
to heed complaints, and anxious to replace marks and 
buoys as soon as possible, and I cannot too strongly 
impress upon the minds of yachtsmen the good results 
which will follow the prompt reporting of all misplaced 
or missing marks. At many of the inlets along the coast, 
the government pays yearly salaries to persons to see 
that buoys are replaced and changed as the channel 
shifts. As a rule the only duty attended to promptly is 
the drawing of the salary. Residents do not like to incur 
the ill will of the buoy tender by reporting him, although 
in private conversation they will deplore what they term 
the disgraceful condition of affairs. The buoy tender 



46 

can easily excuse himself to the government, by explain- 
ing away a single report, but let each yachtsman report to 
Washington every dereliction of duty, and the matter 
becomes a serious one to the buoy tender. To emphasize 
this, let me state as a fact, that with a single exception, 
there is not an inlet on the coast of the Carolinas and 
Florida cared for by local tenders in which the buoys 
are in their proper positions, and in many of them if the 
buoy course were followed it would cause a sure ground- 
ing of the vessel, thus transforming aids to safety into 
snares of destruction. 

In passing through Core Sound we found the bea- 
cons and stakes in the same condition they were in the 
Spring, but before we got through it we met a vessel 
loaded with stakes on the way to replace them, and since 
then I have received a communication from the govern- 
ment stating that they are all replaced and now there is 
little trouble in navigating the sound on a clear day and 
a pilot is unnecessary. After passing Harbor Bar, the 
only place where one is liable to touch is Piney Point. 
Through this, however, the finger marks are close to- 
gether, though it is best to run through at a slow rate 
of speed to avoid sucking bottom. Despite the absence 
of the stakes, we made good time in passing through the 
sound, though going under one bell to pick out the chan- 
nel. Reaching Marshallberg, we begin to feel the in- 
fluence of a strong flood tide, flowing in from Beaufort 
Inlet, and feeling tired with our long day's run, we tie up 
at the wharf of an oyster canning factory. Here we were 
visited by the first mosquitoes of the trip, and although 
they were not very plentiful, nor voracious, yet experience 



47 

taught us to put up the canopies, with which every yacht 
should be provided making the inland trip. The run of 
the day was iii miles. 

Waiting for the tide to serve us the next morning, 
we follow the finger marks through the straits. This is a 
narrow passage between Harkness Island and the main- 
land. At the lower end of Marsh Island, we steer in a 
Southwest by South direction to Middle Marsh Island, 
crossing the opening on the right made by the North 
River and that on the left made by Back Sound. Reach- 
ing Middle Marsh Island about one-fourth mile South of 
its Northern point, we skirt it down about a half mile 
and then draw out so as to pass to starboard of small 
black spar buoy, and then head for Shackelford Point in 
a Southwesterly by Westerly direction toward some break- 
waters, which have the appearance of docks. We then 
head for black can buoy No. 3, then to black and white 
perpendicular stripe buoy, and then to H. S. buoy, leav- 
ing all on port hand. Here we head for Fort Macon 
Point — where General Butler, during the Civil War, per- 
formed his great fiasco in attempting to blow up a land 
fort by a powder vessel set adrift — toward black can buoy, 
and pass between it and red nun buoy. From here we 
steer direct to lighted beacon on spiles at entrance to 
Bulkhead Channel into Beaufort. This channel is change- 
able, the best water being sometimes to the Eastward and 
at others to the Westward of beacon, usually the latter, 
and at all times at low water, showing a trifle over four 
feet. The water is nearly low now, and we ring down as 
we approach it about fifty feet to the Westward. She 
slides up gently on the bar. The strong ebb catches 



48 

her bow and threatens to carry it afoul of the beacon, but 
by backing full speed, we slide off and try again, this 
time about 400 feet to the Westward. This time she 
touches the bar, which at this place is not more than fifty 
feet wide, but goes over it. She is going so slowly, ho\y- 
ever, that she has no steerageway, and the tide again 
catches her, and carries her toward the beacon, on the 
bar again, and this time it seems as if we should be forced 
to stay there until the tide rose. This is of no serious 
importance, for the sea is always smooth here in this 
wind, and we shall have to wait anyhow for the tide to 
rise to get up to the docks at Beaufort. However, we 
succeed in backing ofif inside the bar, and then head for 
the second beacon so as to approach it about 200 feet to 
the Eastward of it. Just as we get opposite it, we turn 
to starboard and head for a passage between two marsh 
islands, and anchor between them. 

The tide is now dead low, so we do not attempt to 
go up to the town, as it is difficult to carry more than 
four feet at this stage of the tide. At any other stage of 
the tide we should have kept through between the marshes, 
and giving the point of marsh on the port side a berth of 
150 feet, turned round it and skirted its Eastern shore 
about 100 feet away to a break at its Northern end. 
Nearing this break we swerve to port and stand close 
in to it, and then turn almost at a right angle toward a 
dock on the Northeastern shore. This is an extremely 
difficult turn to make when tide is running flood, and a 
vessel must answer her helm very quickly in order to 
make it. With tide running ebb it is easy. Standing in 
very close to this dock, we skirt the docks along the water 



49 

front and tie up to any of them ; or, instead of making the 
sharp angle, turn in the break of the islands near the dock, 
we may keep ahead to Northward in channel between 
marsh and mainland, favoring the marsh shore until up to 
the dock of oyster canning factory. Before you have come 
thus far, you will probably have been espied and boarded 
by the representative of The Rudder, Pilot George W. 
Smith, who will cheerfully pilot you to town and render 
you all the assistance in his power. If you conclude to 
take a pilot from here to Wilmington or Charleston, you 
will make no mistake in employing him, and this is some- 
thing which cannot be said truthfully of the majority 
of persons calling themselves pilots on this coast. I speak 
feelingly and from experience when I say this, for in for- 
mer times my yachts have been placed in dangerous 
positions, and only good luck prevented their total loss. 
There are "pilots and pilots" along this coast. Every 
man who has made a trip in any kind of a craft, and in 
whatever capacity, will tell you he can pilot you through, 
but it requires constant experience to keep in touch with 
the shifting channels, and to impress upon the mind the 
hundreds of bars and shoal spots one must avoid. If you 
can avoid it, do not employ a pilot unless he can show you 
a recommendation from a captain whose vessel he has 
piloted through the course you wish to go, within the 
year. Unless you are in charge of a good pilot, and 
their number from Norfolk to Cape Florida can easily 
be counted on the fingers of one hand, it is infinitely 
better to trust to the chart and to your own good judg- 
ment. The vessels which these so-called pilots are accus- 
tomed to navigate rarely draw more than three feet. 



50 

Their immunity from danger at this draught leads them 
to rim you at full speed upon an oyster bank or bar 
which they have passed over a score of times without 
toucliing, and in their confidence and cock-suredness of 
the channel, put you aground for "keeps," when you, in 
your caution, will touch only lightly and easily back off. 
In these waters the best of pilots occasionally touches bot- 
tom, and when he tells you that he never puts a vessel 
aground, don't employ him. He either lies or is inex- 
perienced. Morehead City, which is opposite Beaufort, 
is the terminal of a branch line of railroad. Steam 
yachts in want of coal must go there. It is a small town, 
not as large as Beaufort, and not as good a harbor, al- 
though more easily reached, having a buoyed channel up 
to it. There is an inside passage from here to Bogue 
Inlet, twenty-five miles South, through Bogue Sound. 
Certain pilots, both at Beaufort and Morehead City, 
will tell you that they can take you through this. This 
they may be able to do, but if your vessel draws more 
than two and one-half feet, they will surely put you 
aground many times and consume two or three days in 
the passage. A first-class pilot like Mr. Smith will 
not attempt it, unless it is absolutely insisted upon, and 
then he will tell you frankly the difficulties. Of a num- 
ber of persons who have attempted this, I have not 
found one who wishes to try it again. In our many pas- 
sages down the coast, we had never been into Bogue Inlet, 
weather conditions had been so favorable that we had 
kept on to Cape Fear. As it was now only noon, and a 
favorable opportunity for making the run, and thus learn- 
ing the inlet, we engaged Captain Smith as pilot, and 



51 

started. Beaufort Bar was smooth — it is well buoyed — 
and with a light Westerly wind, we were soon over it and 
at sea. Here let me say that there is an excellent harbor 
in Cape Lookout Bight, on the Southwestern side of the 
cape. Yachts coming up from the South in the Spring, 
or having run out of Ocracoke Inlet in the Fall, will some- 
times find Beaufort Bar too rough to cross safely, and can 
always find a good, quiet anchorage here, without being 
forced to run through breakers to reach it. It is almost 
landlocked, with plenty of water, and can easily be made 
in the night. Bring Cape Fear light to bear Northeast by 
East, three-fourths East, and steer for it. This will bring 
you to the point of the Hook, on which there is a post 
lantern at night. Rounding the Hook to the Southward 
brings you to a quiet anchorage. Between Cape Look- 
out and Cape Fear the coast makes a deep trend into the 
Westward, forming a deep bay, to follow the shore of 
which makes the course about fifteen miles longer be- 
tween the capes than it would be if a straight course 
should be made across. 
From Beaufort Sea Buoy to Frying-pan Shoal 

Lightship Southwest looj/^ miles 

From Beaufort Sea Buoy to F'rying-pan Shoal 

Slue, Southwest, ^ West 94 14 '* 

From Beaufort Sea Buoy to Cape Fear Point 

Slue, Southwest, ^ West 94^ " 

From Beaufort Sea Buoy to Corncake Inlet 

Southwest by West 88 

From Beaufort Sea Buoy to Bogue Inlet, 

West, y^ South 25 



52 

Favored by a long swell rolling in from the Gulf 
Stream, we soon made the run of twenty-five miles, and 
picked up the buoy ofif Bogue Inlet. This inlet is well 
buoved and unlike most of the inlets on this coast, is 
not 'subject to as frequent changes. In approaching one 
of these inlets, when there is any swell to the sea, the 
breakers seem to run clear across the inlet, and as the 
channel buoys are small, third-class ones, it is sometimes 
difficult to see them, as they appear to be among the 
breakers. This is caused by the channel usually crossing 
the bar in an oblique direction, most frequently in a 
Northwesterly direction. Hence it is always best to 
run along the edge of the breakers once or twice to pick 
up the buoys, or' to see if the channel has changed since 
they were put down. This can usually be determined by 
the' absence of breakers in the channel, or if the swell is 
so heavy that it is breaking clear across, by the cessations 
of breakers at intervals when other parts are breaking. 
The rule is to find the smoothest spot and run for it. Few 
yachts ever ground in crossing the first line of breakers. 
They are more liable to come to grief on the sand bars 
inside. The sea buoy at Bogue Inlet is about half a mile 
outside the breakers. After making sea buoy, steer about 
Northwest to pick up a small P. S. channel buoy which 
lies in the edge of the breakers, then steer in between 
Northeast beach and left-hand breaker about West by 
North, toward a black can buoy which lies inside the 
breakers ; then turn sharply to the rig'ht and pass in 
between red and black spar buoys; then steer Northeast 
by East toward the Eastern bank and black can buoy. 
Before reaching this buoy draw in close to the beach, as 



53 i 

this buoy is now on the middle of a shoal which has made | 
out from the Westward since the buoy was placed there, 
and is now in so shoal water that boats cannot get to | 
it to take it up. Anchor after passing black buoy at the ; 
mouth of Frazers Creek^ which makes in from the East- 
ward and has small house on Western bank. Depth of i 
water on bar at Bogue Inlet is from seven to nine feet \ 
at high water. Rise and fall of the tide, two and one- ■ 
half feet. The side-wheel steamer, Fred'k DeBary, 
which was coming down the coast from New York, \ 
followed us in, and despite the warnings given by our j 
whistle, kept straight for the last-mentioned black buoy, | 
and ran aground. Aided by the rising tide she soon 
backed off and anchored near us ; in fact too near, for i 
when the tide changed in the night, she was forced to 
shift her anchorage to avoid swinging into us. There 
was vivid lightning in the Gulf Stream that evening, ] 
but about ten p. m. a cloud bank appeared in the West- ■ 
ward with lightning and thunder mutterings, and after \ 
it had passed a light breeze sprang up from the West- ■ 
ward, presaging a good day for our long outside sea run j 
on the morrow. At six o'clock the next morning we had ' 
disposed of our coffee and were underway, going out of I 
the inlet followed by the DeBary. The wind was mod- i 
erate, Northwest, which soon hauled into the North and ] 
freshened, so that we set staysail and jib to steady her \ 
against the swell which was rolling in from the Gulf j 
Stream from the squall of the previous evening. From ' 
sea buoy off Bogue Inlet to Frying-pan Shoals Light- : 
ship, the course is Southwest by South, one-half South, I 
eighty-four miles, and this course takes you out from \ 



54 

shore about sixteen miles. As there is no need of our 
going to hghtship, we steer Southwest, one-fourth South 
seventy-five miles, to make the slue around the point 
of Cape Fear. This course takes us offshore about ten 
miles, and at one-thirty p. m. we sighted Cape Fear 
Lighthouse. Forty miles South of Bogue Inlet is New 
Topsail Inlet, where vessels of four feet draught may 
enter, but the channel frequently shifts, is not buoyed, 
and vessels must be guided wholly by the character of 
breakers in entering. 

The wind, which had been light Northwest at starting, 
gradually hauled into the North and East, but still kept 
light so that we had a smooth passage to Cape Fear. 
The coast is a low, sandy one, and at our distance from 
it could just be distinguished at times. About five miles 
to the Northward of the cape is what is known along 
the coast as Corncake Inlet, but it is put down on the chart 
as Gold Leaf Inlet. The bar carries about six feet of 
water at low tide. The inlet may be distinguished by a 
pyramid slat-work tower on the mainland, visible at 
sea three or four miles, and when we last ran in there, 
two years ago, we brought this tower to bear Southeast 
to find entrance over bar. The water is shoal inside 
the inlet and best water is around the left-hand point. 
Give this point a berth of about 200 feet and then round 
up close into the beach. A short distance ahead is an 
oyster bank, and you nuist hug the beach close, leaving 
this on the starboard hand. Ahead is still another oyster 
bank, about 75 feet from shore. This must be left on 
port hand. From here there is an inside passage to South- 
port, but it is only available at high water, and could 



55 

not be successfully navigated without some previous 
acquaintance with it, although boats of three feet draught 
could pick their way over at high tide, which here rises 
five feet. It is a very handy place to run into in case one 
should be so delayed in coming from Beaufort as to be 
unable to reach the cape before dark, as this Cape Slue 
Passage requires daylight for its safe passage. 

In approaching Cape Fear, we steer for the life-saving 
station at the point of the cape to within about three- 
eighths mile from shore, and follow shore round at this 
distance until we can plainly see the breaker on the inner- 
most or Western edge of Frying-pan Shoals, between 
which and the shore is the channel, having a least depth 
of twelve feet. If the sea is smooth, this breaker will be 
the only one seen, but if there is much sea on, there will 
also be a breaker on the point extending from the beach 
on the mainland. The channel lies between these break- 
ers, and best water is close to the Eastern breaker. We 
skirt the edge of the Eastern breaker until well past the 
new lighthouse on the point, and then steer North- 
west by West, five-eighths West to one of the black chan- 
nel buoys five miles distant, and then follow up the buoys 
to Southport. If for any reason it is impossible to reach 
Corncake before dark, the only alternative is to go out 
around Frying-pan Shoals Lightship, as it is dangerous 
to cross the shoals after dark. This would make the 
journey 30 miles longer, but from the Southern side of 
the shoals, the harbor on account of its excellent range 
lights is easily entered at night. From the lightship 
steer Northwest by West nine miles until up to the 
whistling buoy, then steering a North Northwest course 



56 

of fifteen miles will bring you in the range of white 
lights leading into the channel. Follow up this range 
to the intersection of first red range. Follow this a 
short distance until up to the intersection of second red 
range. Follow this range until opposite small white 
beacon light directly opposite Bald Head Lighthouse. 
This beacon light and the lighthouse form a rear range. 
Bringing this directly astern you will see the lights of 
Fort Caswell on the port and a red beacon light to star- 
board. Steer between the two, and when opposite the 
red light, steer for the lights on the dock at Southport, 
and anchor about 500 feet from shore. 

The city of Wilmington, N. C, is 26 miles above on 
the Cape Fear River. The river is well buoyed and 
beaconed, and is easily navigable with the assistance of 
the chart and Aids to Navigation. I am afraid that I 
have omitted to state that these aids to navigation, from 
the Third district to the Eighth district inclusive, should 
be obtained from the Lighthouse Board at Washington, 
D. C. They are furnished gratis to all applicants in 
writing. It being early in the afternoon when we reached 
Southport, we made no stop here, but aided by a strong 
flood tide, we ran up to Wilmington in a few minutes 
more than two hours, iii^ miles from our starting point 
in the morning. Wilmington is a fine, thriving, go-ahead 
city, and well worth a visit. It has all the conveniences 
for ship stores, water, fuel, and all kinds of ship and 
machinery repairing. It is one of the most hospitable 
cities in the South. The Roamer being well known, had 
no sooner made fast at the Custom House wharf, than 
scores of kind and well-wishing friends came aboard to 



57 

extend to us their true Southern welcome. At the dock 
above the Custom House is a Rudder station, represented 
by C. P. Maffitt, who is always ready to tender visiting 
yachtsmen a cordial reception, and render them any 
assistance in his power. The city has fine driving roads, 
and a very coniplete system of trolley cars which run to 
outlying inland and sea-beach resorts. A few days can 
be spent here with pleasure and profit. We had intended 
staying here only a week, but a succession of fresh North- 
easterly winds detained us a week longer. It is always 
best to drop down the river to Southport the night before, 
in order to get an early start for the next outside run. 
One afternoon we ran down, but the next morning the 
indications were so unpromising that we ran back again 
to Wilmington, much against our inclination, but con- 
soling ourselves with the recollection that last Spring we 
did the same thing and thus escaped the fate of three 
schooners which we intended to accompany across the 
bar, all of whom were wrecked within 24 hours thereafter. 
One afternoon the wind hauled into the Southeast, and 
then into the Southwest with thunder squalls, and this 
almost invariably means a Northwest wind on the fol- 
lowing day. Being inland and sheltered by high hills, it 
is difficult to judge of the force of the wind and state of 
the sea outside, and it is a good plan to jump into a 
trolley car and ride over to the beach at Wrightsville be- 
fore starting down to Southport. At five a. m. the next 
morning the wind was Northwest, moderately fresh, and 
we started on our 122-mile run to Georgetown Light. 
The tide was strong against us and it took us three hours 
to run to Southport. Passing out to sea, we found the 



58 

wind much heavier than we expected, but as it was off- 
shore and we disHked to return to Wihiiington again, we 
decided to hug the coast and keep on, although this would 
make our run twelve miles longer, and it would be a 
hard squeeze to make it before dark. The coast line here 
curves in to the Westward, forming a bay twenty miles 
deep. A Southwest by West course, 76^ miles, would 
bring us to Georgetown buoy, but that would take us 
twenty miles from land, something not to be thought of 
in that wind. A West course, a little Southerly, would 
bring us to entering buoy of Little River Inlet, the next 
harbor, thirty miles away ; but even this would send us 
miles away from shore. The wind kept increasing until 
it attained a velocity as reported of sixty miles an hour 
and as direction of the current along this coast is governed 
by the wind, it made a strong current against us. Keep- 
ing close in to shore, we had comparatively smooth water, 
although the wind blew so hard that is was difficult to 
keep an upright position on deck. Reaching Little River, 
we found that the wind was making such a smother of 
the seas that it was impossible to distinguish the breakers, 
and as we were doing very well, we concluded to keep on. 
Little River Inlet may be known by four fishing huts 
located on the Southern entrance to the inlet. It carries 
six feet of water at low tide. Rise and fall of tide about 
three feet eight inches. From the entering buoy, steer 
on North, Northwest course, so as to leave the Eastern 
breaker about 200 yards on starboard hand, and follow 
this Eastern breaker past a red buoy which lays just 
inside this breaker, then a Northerly, seven-eighths East- 
erly course will lead toward Bird Island, which leave 



59 

on the starboard hand about 150 yards. After passing 
point of Bird Island, gradually change course to North, 
Northwest, approaching on a curve a black spar buoy 
off the point of Waiters Island, and after passing buoy, 
keep up middle of river to dock and house on left bank. 
A steamer plies regularly between here and Wilmington, 
and I would advise anyone intending to enter this harbor 
to call upon Captain W. A. Sanders at Wilmington. 
He is a genial, wholesouled gentleman and would gladly 
give any information as to any change in the inlet. From 
the entering buoy at Little River, a straight course South- 
west, three-fourths South, 54 miles, would bring us to 
Georgetown buoy, but as we still had to hug the shore in 
the deep bight of the bay, sunset found us still ten miles 
away from the bell buoy with the white shaft of George- 
town Light just discernible. Approaching the light from 
the North, a long cape seems to jut out into the sea, and 
strangers are apt to steer for the point of this cape. This 
should not be done, as a shoal extends out in a South- 
easterly direction about three miles. The channel into 
the harbor is protected by a long stone jetty. On three 
different places on the jetty are three mounds of rock 
which may be seen from a long distance. Bringing these 
mounds in range, and running closely parallel with them 
is a good way of picking up the bell buoy. From the 
bell buoy, steer so as to leave the jetty about 400 feet 
on the port hand, and pass in between the jetty and line 
of red buoys. Keep about this distance from the jetty 
for about a mile, and then swerve to the right toward 
black fishing rip buoy No. 3, passing which, you then 
turn gradually in toward the lighthouse, passing a sand 



6o 

point on the right, above which the water is deep close 
in to shore ah the way up to the Hghthouse, above which 
you may anchor. 

It was dark before we reached the entering buoy. 
We sighted it but lost it again in the darkness. The 
wind, which had given promise of moderating at sun- 
set, took on an added force, and spray hid the jetty, 
and drenching the bows and pilothouse, rendered the 
searchlight useless. Ahead were four unfamiliar lights, 
the use of which I could not make out. We made 
out a buoy which appeared to be a channel one, but which 
we found afterward was an abandoned one drifted out 
of position, and steered for it, but breakers close aboard 
on starboard hand caused us to alter our course suddenly, 
and on this new course we caught a glimpse of the jetty 
as a wave broke over it. Steering for it, we grazed one 
of the channel buoys. So intently had we been looking 
at the surface of the water that we had paid no attention 
to the four strange lights, but as we swept by the buoy, 
I glanced upward and found that we were in range of 
two white lights. These had only been established a 
short time before, and formed an excellent range for 
entering the harbor. This range led us parallel to the 
jetty, and where the channel turned, it intersected another 
white range which led up to the fishing rip buoy, where 
we turned toward the lighthouse, and anchored just above 
it, thankful that we were so snugly stowed away, and 
little dreaming that the worst was yet to come. This 
part of Winyah Bay is less than a mile wide, and the tide 
rushes through it like a mill-race. When wq anchored 
tide and wind were in the same direction, but just as 



6i 

we were about turning in, the tide changed against the 
wind. This drew more to the Northward, and kicked up 
a nasty, swift, roHing and heavy sea, in which we wal- 
lowed' and rolled all night. In comparative lulls of 
the gale howling down the long, open stretch of bay, the 
tide would cut the stern of the Roamer up against the 
wind; a vicious gust would then send her ahead the 
whole length of the chain to be brought up with a sud- 
denness which I. surely thought would either part the 
chain or tear the bows out of her ; then heading to right 
or left she would make a broadside rush in the trough of 
the sea, tack the other way, and wallow until the tide 
slowly cut her up stern first against the wind again, to 
repeat the performance. Chairs, tables, couches and 
stove tore from their fastenings, and took riotous pos- 
session of the cabin and engine room. Shelves and cup- 
boards added their contents to the general mass of con- 
fusion, to which were added clocks and water pitcher, and 
cooler articles vainly searched for and long ago given 
up as lost suddenly appeared from out-of-the-way places, 
and it seemed as if every movable thing about the vessel 
was on a general rampage. To add to the general con- 
fusion, the boats on deck broke loose. These were finally 
secured, and the heaviest articles wedged together in the 
cabin and engine room. 

This continued for hours until the tide turned, and 
was, taken altogether, the most uncomfortable night ever 
spent on the Roamer. Daylight found the gale still 
raging, and as soon as it was light enough for us to 
pick our way, we ran up to Georgetown, 12 miles 
above, and 134 miles from Wilmington. The channel 



62 

up to Wilmington is well marked out and easily navigated. 
Leaving the lighthouse, we keep up the bay until we 
open out Mosquito Creek Beacon Light, black, then 
steer for it leaving it on port hand, then as follows : From 
Mosquito Creek Beacon to Marsh Island Beacon, black, 
Northwest, three-fourths North and past it in same 
general direction to buoy No. 7. From No. 7 to Frazer's 
Point Beacon, North, Northwest, three-fourths West, and 
then North to Hare Lsland Beacon, passing several buoys 
on the way between all the beacons. From Hare Island 
Beacon steer Northeasterly toward a red beacon, until 
you are opposite black spar buoy at entrance of Samsit 
River; you will then be on a rear range line shown by 
white beacons on Eastern shore. We steer in on this 
range, passing close to black buoy, leaving white light- 
house on starboard hand, until past a red spar buoy, when 
we take mid-channel up to the city wharves. Just as 
we were making fast to the wharf, storm signals were 
being hoisted for the gale which had already been raging 
for 24 hours. Georgetown, which is situated at the 
junction of the Samsit, Peedee and Waccamaw Rivers, 
affords the best hunting-grounds for the greatest variety 
of game of any place in the South in the Fall of the 
year. Myriads of ducks flock to its rivers and adjacent 
marsh lands, and upon the numerous rice plantations 
the rice-birds are so plentiful and troublesome that 
bands of negroes are employed to fire blank cartridges 
into the rice fields to prevent the clouds of birds from 
making serious inroads upon the yield. The constant 
popping of the guns reminds one of a skirmish line in 
war times. The small red deer are plentiful, likewise 



63 

quail in their season. A few miles below the city a canal 
has been cut which leads into the interior waters, fur- 
nishing an inside passage between here and Charleston, 
available for vessels of three and one-half feet draught. 
Unless one has plenty of time at his disposal and cares 
not for mosquitoes, I would not advise anyone to attempt 
it. Owing to the waiting for tides to cross the divides, 
it takes two days to reach Charleston, with one or two 
nights spent in the rice marshes, while the outside passage 
can be made in six hours, with one good harbor between 
points, should it be necessary to make one. We stopped 
at Georgetown two days, and on the morning of October 
1 2th, started for Charleston, despite the fact that the 
storm signals were still flying. We judged that as they 
were not hoisted until 24 hours after the storm had 
commenced, to even up things they felt obliged to keep 
them up the same length of time after the storm had 
broken, and our judgment was correct, as we made a 
pleasant and smooth passage. We soon ran down the 
bay, and passing beyond the jetty, stood out one-fourth 
mile beyond the entering buoy, then laying our course 
Southwest by South, a run of 18 miles brought us up to 
the slue through Cape Romain shoals. Sighting the slue 
buoy, we bring it to bear Southwest and run for it. This 
buoy is now placed in the middle of the slue, taking the 
place of two buoys formerly placed at each side of the 
shoal. After passing the buoy, we change course to South- 
west by West, one-half West, and this course made good 
for 33 miles will bring us up to Charleston bell buoy. 
Eighteen miles beyond Cape Romain, a good harbor can be 
found in Bulls Bay. Bring the lighthouse on Eastern 



64 

end of island to bear between Northwest and West by 
vSouth, and steer for it. When up close to the shore, 
follow it around into the harbor. About five miles East 
of Charleston bell buoy, we cross Rattlesnake shoals, 
marked by a buoy at either end, over which we can 
carry six feet of water at low tide. Pass these buoys 
about one-fourth mile either North or South of them, 
but do not attempt to run between if drawing over five 
feet. Steering for the bell buoy, which is about a mile 
and a half inside the lightship, we pass it and then head 
for the passage between the jetties, and follow up the line 
of buoys to the city, or with our draught of water we 
can head for the Eastern end of Fort Sumpter, giving it 
a berth of about three-fourths mile, and after passing it 
steer for the small lighthouse on Fort Ripley Shoal, so 
as to leave it on starboard hand. After passing this 
we make direct for the wharves ahead and on the right. 
A good place to tie up is in the government basin opposite 
the Custom House, but we keep on farther to the wharves 
of the Cotton Compress Co., where the Roamer is well 
known and is always accorded a cordial welcome by the 
genial superintendent of the works, Mr. S. W. Doty. 
Distance from Georgetown, 80}^ miles. We have now 
accomplished all the outside runs necessary to take, to 
reach Jacksonville, Fla. These runs are those which 
beginners in Southern yachting most dread, and they 
probably keep scores of small yachts from attempting a 
cruise which can be easily and safely accomplished, for 
as seen by this trip, which is an usual one, it can be 
accomplished with as little risk as a cruise from New 
London to Marthas Vineyard. The only rough weather 



65 

we experienced was on the trip from Wilmington to 
Georgetown, which although disagreeable was by no 
means dangerous, besides being entirely unnecessary, as 
by waiting a couple of days longer, we would have had 
fine weather and smooth seas all the way. Had we not 
been as well acquainted with the coast and harbors, we 
would not have attempted it, but it only goes to show 
how safely it can be done even in a gale. 

During the many years we have been making this 
trip between these points, I do not recall a single instance 
in which a yacht has come to grief, although it has been 
repeatedly made by launches of twenty feet. Distances 
of outside runs are: Fort Beaufort, N. C, to Bogue 
Inlet, 25 miles; Bogue Inlet to Cape Fear, 74^ miles, 
or in a straight line from Beaufort to Cape Fear, 88 
miles; Cape Fear to Georgetown Bell Buoy, "j^Ya miles; 
Cape Fear to Little River, 30 miles; Little River to 
Georgetown Bell Buoy, 54 miles ; Georgetown Bell Buoy 
to Charleston Bell Buoy, 55 miles. Distance by shore line, 
23834. By a straight course, 218^. Charleston is an 
easy harbor to enter at night. From the lightship, steer 
in on range of Fort Sumpter and St. Philip's church 
lights and when within a mile of the fort, draw out so 
as to leave it to starboard about three-fourths mile 
and after passing it steer for Fort Ripley red light, which 
is the Southernmost of two red lights seen ahead. After 
passing this light, curve in to right toward city lights 
and anchor opposite wharves. 

It was now the middle of October ; we had reached the 
climate we were seeking; backward in the North had 
been left cloudy skies, chilly winds, and rains. The days 



66 

were perfect with cloudless skies, and refreshing breezes, 
the nights cool yet without even a suspicion of chilliness, 
and it was our intention, as far as possible, to keep in 
this temperature all Winter, moving South just enough 
to keep in advance of chilly weather. From Charleston 
to Jacksonville, a distance of 341 miles, the route is an 
inside one, extending down the coast through an intricate 
maze of rivers and sounds, at times crossing the mouths 
of sounds opening into the ocean, and anon wandering- 
far into the interior, there to meet and descend another 
river emptying into a sound bordering the ocean still 
farther South, a continual ascension and descension of 
rivers, but never being obliged to pass into the open sea. 
Our stay in Charleston was not as long as antici- 
pated. Coming on deck one morning, a few days after 
arrival, we were surprised at the crispness of the air. 
A moderate North wind was blowing; in the Northeast 
the sky was steely gray ; long flocks of ducks were flying 
Southward ; evidently a cool wave was coming down the 
coast, and we must hie still farther Southward. Wishing 
to make these notes as accurate as possible, and to do this 
it would be necessary to have some other person to 
pilot the yacht while I was taking compass courses and 
jotting them down, we engaged the services of Captain 
Thomas Heyward, a colored man, as pilot, who is un- 
doubtedly the best pilot in these waters between Charles- 
ton and Jacksonville. In navigating these waters every- 
thing depends upon the stage of the tide, in order that 
you shall reach particular points, sometimes at high 
water and at other times at low water. Charleston should 
be left about one hour before low water, if your boat has 



67 

an average speed of lo miles, earlier, according to speed, 
so as to reach Church Flats at about low water. From 
the Custom House to Church Flats it is about 17^ miles. 
I say "about," because in the rivers and creeks in this 
journey many of the streams are so crooked that it is 
impossible to measure distances accurately with the 
dividers. 

At many of the places we shall pass through, it is 
better to navigate them at low water, especially for 
strangers, as the channel can then be distinctly traced, 
as all the shoals and bars are bare. At low water four 
feet eight inches can be carried through Church Flats, 
and the numerous islands are out of water. Beginners 
should make it a rule never to attempt a difficult passage 
on a falling tide. If they touch then, the chances are that 
they will remain there 10 or 12 hours. Maily of the 
shoals rise abruptly from the edge of the channel, and if 
one grounds on them in a slanting position, as one usually 
will, there is danger of capsizing as the water falls, or 
laying over so far on the side as the water rises, that the 
tide will come into cabin windows or cockpit before the 
vessel commences to right. The writer has been forced 
to put out anchors and reeve tackle to masts to help right 
the vessel as the tide rose. The range of the tide in these 
rivers being between five and seven feet, the tide rises 
rapidly, and if one touches bottom, he will float in a few 
minutes on a rising tide. On the morning of October 
15th, we left the wharf at Charleston, and ran up the 
Ashley River, keeping well out in the stream to avoid 
the shoal which makes off from the Battery sea wall. 
Wappo Creek^ which enters the river, is about one and 



68 

a half miles above tlie battery. We stand up the river 
until two day-marks, which are on the left bank, are in 
range, and stand into the mouth of the creek on this 
range. Looking over the stern we will also see that 
the steeple of St. Tvlichael's church is nearly in range with 
the Northeastern corner of a large brick rice mill on the 
Charleston shore. As soon as we are well into the creek, 
we take almost a midstream course, favoring the left-hand 
shore a little. There are a number of side creeks flowing 
into this one, but when two channels meet we take the 
one which is nearest straight ahead. About a mile from 
entrance is a drawbridge. This creek is about 3^ miles 
long and leads into Stono River. We pass straight out 
of the creek and well out into the river before turning up, 
and favor left-hand shore about a mile and a quarter, and 
then cross over and favor the other shore up to the phos- 
phate mills, where there are a number of dredges dredg- 
ing the phosphate from the bottom of the river and adja- 
cent marshes. The river is easily navigable with the 
aid of the chart. Still farther up the river we pass 
another phosphate mill. About five miles above this 
mill we reach Church Flats, the divide between the 
vStono and W^adlemar Rivers. Here the river broadens 
out in a small marshy lagoon, studded with numerous 
small islets. These islets are wholly or partially covered 
at high water, so that it is difficult for a stranger to 
keep in the channel. It is now dead low water — a 
scant five feet — and the main channel as it winds among 
the islets is plainly discernible. At the entrance to 
Church Flats there is a house, store and dock on the 
right bank. 



69 

We run close to this dock, and then inchne over and 
favor Eastern shore, until opposite to the mouth of a 
creek on that shore; then head for a cedar tree, which is 
in a fringe of woods and inland some distance ahead on 
the Western shore, and which shows above the tops of 
the other trees. We keep this course, which brings us 
near the mouth of a creek on the Western shore, and 
when opposite this we draw out to a midchannel course 
until we reach the Wadlemar River, 3 miles above this, 
and which we enter after passing a large creek coming in 
from the left, above which is a house and wharf, and still 
farther beyond another house and wharf on the left 
bank. 

Beyond this last house a small bay makes into the 
left shore, and beyond this bay a small and a large island. 
We leave these islands on the port hand and steer for 
a black beacon ahead, which we leave on the starboard 
hand, and then steer for another black beacon, which we 
leave on same hand, giving it a berth of 150 feet. Passing 
this beacon, we curve a little to the left, and then steer 
for a red beacon, leaving it on port hand, and then follow 
left-hand shore around a deep curve, at the head of which 
is an island on port side. This we leave on port hand, as 
also a smaller one beyond, and a larger island beyond 
this. Just beyond this larger island is a shoal and oyster 
bank, which we avoid by steering toward the mouth of 
a creek on starboard shore, above which is a new house 
on same shore. We follow this shore around to a dock 
'j;nd railway station. Nearly opposite the station is a 
large island. We leave this on the port hand, and passing 
between it and two smaller islands ahead, which we leave 



70 

to the starboard, we head for Martins Point, on the 
left shore, upon which is a small village. From Martins 
Point we cross over to opposite shore, and follow the 
bend around to the next point, where we cross over to 
the left-hand shore again, following this around until 
a bay opens out on left hand, when we steer so as to leave 
a large island on the right on starboard hand, and curving 
gradually to the right^leave on port hand a small group 
of islands which extend out between us and Bluff Point. 
Here we enter North Edisto River, and we cross 
this diagonally toward a house on the Northwestern 
shore, one-half mile below which is White Point, the 
entrance to Dawho River. In entering Dawho River, 
we take nearly a midstream course, favoring starboard 
shore a little. Ahead and a little to the left we see an 
island, v/hich we steer for, so as to leave it on port hand 
a couple of hundred feet, and run parallel with it its 
entire length. After passing it w^e keep on the same 
general course, curving slightly to the left, so as to pass 
midway through a bay on left and a point of land pro- 
jecting out from the right. Abreast of this point we 
turn around it sharply to the right, and steer on this 
course so as to pass midway between point of land on 
left and deep bay on right. Running across this bay 
from the point on left is often a strong tide rip, having 
the appearance of a shoal. It is not a shoal, only the 
strong tide rip. From this point we curve to the left, 
favoring a fringe of islands, all of which we have on 
the port hand, until we are up to the head of the bay on 
our right. 

Abreast the point on our right we cross over so as 



71 

to favor the right shore for about a mile, and then take 
midstream course the balance of the river, taking care 
not to be led off into North Creek, a large stream which 
comes in from the left at Dawho Ferry. The Dawho 
connects the North Edisto and South Edisto Rivers. It 
is about 21 miles long in all, and very crooked, and in 
its vSouthern part narrow, but it is deep, and after passing 
through the wider part is free from shoals, and a mid- 
stream course carries us through safely. The divide, or 
the place where the tides change, is about two miles from 
the South Edisto River, and is just before reaching a 
house on right bank. Just before entering the South 
Edisto we pass a house on left bank, with chimneys out- 
side of house. To the right may be seen phosphate mills, 
which are up the South Edisto above the entrance of the 
Dawho. After passing into the South Edisto we swing 
around into the bend of the river on the port side and keep 
into this bend until past an island on our right, and then 
cross diagonally to the starboard shore, so as to reach 
it about a mile below the island. We follow this shore to 
the point beyond and then cross diagonally to the port 
shore, following this shore about a mile, or until within a 
quarter of a mile of the point below, when we gradually 
work out to a midstream course, which we keep until op- 
posite the mouth of Mosquito Creek, the entrance to which 
is nearly opposite the next point below on the left. This 
creek is a small, insignificant one, and would be easily 
passed by like scores of others we have passed. 

On the Edisto side is a cypress tree upon the bank, and 
on the opposite side of the Edisto, and on the North bank 
of the creek, is a lone pine tree. These are good marks 



72 

by which to locate the entrance to the creek. Mosquito 
Creek connects the South Edisto with the Ashepoo River. 
It is about eight miles long, very narrow and crooked, 
and at low tide carries less than three feet of water. 
Average rise and fall of the tide, five feet. We have so 
timed out departure from Charleston, a distance of 57 
miles, that it is now about an hour before high water, and 
on a rising tide for passing through this end of it, which 
is the most difficult part. We steer in about midway, 
favoring the right-hand bank a trifle. About one-quarter 
of a mile ahead the creek divides into two branches. 
We take right-hand branch. About one and a half miles 
from this another creek flows in from the left. We keep 
the main channel, and also past another larger one com- 
ing in from the same side. A mile beyond this last creek 
there is another creek, which enters from starboard side. 
This creek cannot be seen when approaching it from 
the North, but just before we reach it the vessel will be 
heading toward the Western end of a large fringe 
of pine trees on Western shore. Right in the middle of 
the passage at the mouth of this creek is an oyster bank, 
which is bare at half tide. We proceed very cautiously 
here and hug as closely as possible the right-hand point, 
which is formed by the Northern side of the creek and 
Western side of Mosquito Creek, as the oyster bank is 
opposite this point. After passing the point we gradually 
haul out into midstream again. 

This midstream course can be kept up through the 
balance of the creek up to its junction with the Ashepoo 
River, a broad stream, flowing into St. Helena Sound. 
To the red buoy No. 2 at mouth of river the distance 



7Z 

is seven miles. We favor the left-hand shore in running 
down the river until we pass a large creek coming in 
from the left, which separates mainland from the Otter 
Islands, and then cross mouth of bay on the left, head- 
ing toward red buoy, which is abont a mile from the 
creek. From red buoy we steer South-Southwest, three- 
quarters of a mile to black buoy No. i ; then South, one- 
eighth West, one and one-half miles to Old Tower Bea- 
con. Leaving it on the starboard hand we stand by it 
a short distance, and then steer Northwest by West three- 
fourths West to red buoy No. 4 and black buoy No. 5, 
two miles farther on. If tide be nearly full and running 
out strong, as it is now, time and distance can be saved 
by making a short cut from buoy No. i to buoy No. 5, 
passing far to the left of Old Tower Beacon. This will 
save two miles in distance against a very strong tide. 
On Otter Island, which is the left-hand shore, nearly 
abreast of buoy No. i there is a board beacon with 
a white face. We stand a little beyond black buoy No. 
I, which will bring this beacon in range with highest 
tree in clump of trees on the island. By bringing the 
stern on this range the vessel will be heading West 
by North, and this course, making due allowance for 
the tide, will bring us up to buoy No. 5, three and a 
half miles distant. In looking backward on this range 
there appear to be three small clumps of trees, and then 
one larger clump to the Northeast of these. It is the 
highest tree in this clump which should be ranged with 
white-faced beacon. From buoy No. 5 we steer so as to 
pass about a half mile outside of Marsh Island, which is 
ahead and on the port hand. After passing this island, and 



74 

avoiding a bay above the island, we keep about this dis- 
tance from shore up to and around a point on left hand 
to red buoy No. 2, passing the mouths of Combahee and 
Bull Rivers, which come in on the right, and leaving 
Bull Spit Buoy at the junction of Bull and Coosaw Rivers 
on the starboard hand. This brings us into the Coosaw 
River. About two miles ahead is a phosphate mill upon 
the left bank. We steer so as to pass about one-quarter 
mile outside of this, passing a black buoy en route. This 
brings us up to black buoy nearly opposite the mill, and 
continuing on in the same course we come up to red buoy 
No. 4. From this course, a West, one- fourth South, 
course leads us past a black buoy and a red one up to the 
junction buoy of Brickyard Creek, which connects the 
Coosaw River with the Beaufort River. In passing 
through this creek we use Chart No. 437. From the 
junction buoy we steer into the mouth of the creek, on 
the left bank of which, just above the entrance, there is 
a phosphate mill and one or two houses, taking care to 
avoid a shoal which extends from right-hand side at 
junction of another creek. Brickyard Creek is four miles 
long, very crooked, with many shoals, yet with plenty of 
water in the channel, even at low tide, and with the aid 
of Chart 437 is easily navigated. When up to the old 
dock of the phosphate mill steer for a point on the left 
a short distance ahead.. Rounding this point at a distance 
of about 75 feet we stand into a bend on the left until 
opposite a house on shore; then draw out a trifle, head- 
ing just outside of a point on left-hand shore, skirting a 
high bank on this shore, and then cross over to opposite 
side. Just beyond this the creek broadens out in a lagoon- 



75 

like formation, in which there is a stake on an oyster 
bed. We hug this stake closely, leaving it on starboard 
hand, and then steer so as to pass just outside of point 
ahead on starboard side. Reaching this point we cross 
the creek to the left side to avoid a shoal, which makes 
out from this point nearly across the creek. After pass- 
ing this we follow chart course to entrance into Beau- 
fort River, which is three and a half miles above Beau- 
fort, S. C. Entering the river we cross over to the star- 
board shore, which we follow down to first point below, 
where we cross diagonally to the other shore, and follow 
this outside the fringe of marsh lands, skirting them 
until we are opposite the wharves of Beaufort, to one of 
which we made fast, and are welcomed by kind^ friends 
whose acquaintance we have made in former trips, and 
who have descried the Roamer coming around the bend 
above. 

We have made the trip of 97 miles from Charleston in 
10 hours, and in doing this we have passed through the 
waters of 16 different sounds, rivers and creeks. This 
statement will serve to show how easily one could 
be led astray without a guide, as there are absolutely 
no marks to indicate which stream or direction to take. 
The whole coast between Charleston, S. C, and Jackson- 
ville, Fla., is an intricate network of streams, some of 
them extending hundreds of miles into the interior. Up 
some of these streams we shall pass until we meet a 
small stream, creek, or passage, which will lead us into 
a river which empties into the ocean through some sound 
farther South. These sounds are the mouths usually of 
from three to half a dozen rivers, one of which we will 



76 

take to seek a passage above which will lead us into a 
river which flows into a sound still farther Southward, 
and thus we shall proceed day after day, going up one 
stream, continually seeking a passage which will lead 
us into a stream flowing farther South. It is extremely 
interesting to vary the character of our sailing in this 
way — now seeing the breakers of the ocean dashing 
against the reefs and bars, feeling the motion of the 
vessel as she rolls to the long swell coming in from 
the sea, and anon winding our way through forests, 
rice and cotton fields miles away from sound, sight or 
smell of the ocean. 

Beaufort is a quaint old Southern city, typical of the 
regime of ante-bellum days, when it was the favorite 
home of the blue-blooded Southern aristocracy, and it 
seems to have changed but little since the writer with his 
regiment sailed up on a transport after the capture of the 
forts, forty-two years ago. 

Taking advantage of the last of a strong ebb tide, the 
following morning we ran down river past the United 
States Naval Station, Quarantine and the Fort to Port 
Royal Sound. The river is broad and deep, and is 
well buoyed for the use of war ships. From the H. S. 
buoy at the mouth of the river we steer W. one-half 
S. to pick up another H. S. buoy, and a mile and 
half S. to pick up another H. S. buoy, and a mile and 
a half beyond it on the same course a red buoy. From 
this buoy we steer W. one-half N. two miles to Scull 
Creek Beacon. Leaving this on starboard hand, we 
steer into Scull Creek about midway between the points 
of land on about a S. W. bv S. three-fourths S. course 



77 

toward a point of land on Western shore. We then 
follow around the Western shore, leaving the island 
in front on port hand, until a post with slats upon it is 
reached. Leaving this post on port hand, we steer about 
S. E. by S. toward an island ahead, and leave it on port 
hand. We run parallel along this island on about a S. W. 
by S. course toward another island ahead. We leave 
this on port hand, steering between it and another island 
on a S. W. course. When past these islands, we steer 
about S. W. toward Eastern shore and dock upon it, 
passing close to the dock. When past the dock, we steer 
W. by N. and gradually change to W. by S. and S. W. by 
W., gradually making a curve until abreast a point on 
Western shore where there are palmetto trees and the 
white branches of an overturned tree ; then curving to the 
left, we head for a red buoy in Mackays Creek. This we 
leave on port hand, and favor Eastern shore of the creek, 
crossing the mouth of May River into Calibogue Sound. 
After leaving Marsh Island, which is on the right, we 
head in a S. W. by W. direction for the mouth of Copper 
River, which comes in on the right of two range lights 
on Daufuskie Island. Passing the lighthouse we run up 
the river, which is wide and deep. We favor starboard 
shore until past three creeks which come in on that shore, 
and then cross over and favor port shore until up to 
Ramshorn Creek, which comes in from the left, four 
miles above the lighthouse. This creek, which is very 
narrow and crooked, is about three miles long. We take 
a midstream course, and pass into and down the New 
River. About a mile below is an oyster canning factory, 
and a mile below this is a branch of the river flowing 



78 

into the sea on the left. We pass this branch, and favor 
the right bank of the river until opposite Fields Cut, 
which comes in on the starboard side. Heading for the 
middle of the cut in a Westerly direction we pass straight 
through it, leaving a broad creek which is in the middle 
of the cut on the starboard hand. This cut brings us 
into the Wright River, entering which we turn to the 
right, and favor starboard shore three-quarters of a mile 
up to Walls Cut, which connects the Wright with the 
Savannah River. 

Starting as we did from Beaufort, on the last of the 
ebb tide, we have reached here at about half tide, which 
it is necessary to do to obtain four and a half feet through 
this cut, otherwise we should have been obliged to pass 
down Calibogue Sound into the open ocean to the mouth 
of the Savannah River. Standing midway between the 
banks of Walls Cut we pass in, and although we suck 
bottom we soon accomplish the two miles to cut and 
enter the Savannah River nine miles below the city. 
Steering out from the cut well into the river, we cross 
it diagonally, heading for a lighthouse on the opposite 
bank a mile and a half above. In the lighthouse resides a 
lady, who for years in daylight has never failed to salute 
a passing craft by waving a handkerchief from the porch 
of the house. We acknowledge the salute by the custom- 
ary three blasts of the whistle, which no vessel ever fails 
to give, and with the flood tide sweep on up the river 
past black buoy No. 13 at the head of Elba Island, to 
St. Augustin Creek, opposite which is a red buoy. No. 12. 

If we wish to go up to the city, which is four and a 
half miles above this, we would follow the line of red 



79 

buoys, but Savannah is a bad place for yachts to stop at. 
The river in front of the city is too narrow "for anchorage, 
and the wharves are crowded with steamers and saihng 
vessels, so that it is difficult to obtain a wharf to which 
to tie up. 

The rise and fall of the tide is about six feet, and 
tugs are constantly running up and down the river at 
full speed, causing small craft to pound heavily against 
the docks. A much better place to stay is at the Savannah 
Yacht Club, at Thunderbolt, in the Wilmington River. 
Here are fine grounds and a good anchorage, or a moor- 
ing place at the Club Dock. A trolley line runs past the 
grounds of the Yacht Club to the city every 20 minutes. 
A half-hour's ride brings one to the city, from whence 
supplies and gasolene will be sent free of cliarge. 

Experience having taught us the discomforts of tying 
up at Savannah, we turn to the left when opposite buoy 
13 and enter St. Augustin Creek, leaving a beacon which 
is in the middle of the creek on the starboard hand. 
From this beacon we draw into port shore, and run 
down this for a mile to where a river enters on starboard 
side, and which is crossed by a railroad drawbridge about 
a half mile from its entrance. This river we enter on a 
midstream course. Care must be taken to blow the 
whistle in ample time for this bridge, as the tide runs 
very strong at this point, and it being near the divide 
one is not always sure in which direction it will run. 

It is running flood now as we approach it at half 
speed. Repeated blasts of the whistle fail to produce any 
sign of life upon the bridge. Finally, after a wait of ten 
minutes, a couple of darkies slowly emerged from a house 



8o 

on the bank, stretching their arms and rubbing their eyes. 
They acknowledged that they were asleep and did not 
hear the whistle at first. About half a mile below the 
bridge is the junction of St. Augustin Creek and Wil- 
mington River, the creek flowing out to the left. We 
take the Wilmington, the right-hand stream, and round 
a sharp bend on the right. About a mile below this bend 
is a large creek coming in from the right. This we pass, 
as also two smaller streams coming in from the right. 
About a mile and a half below these the river broadens 
out where a number of streams enter. After passing 
one of these streams, a large island will be seen ahead. 
Here we make a sharp turn to the right, leaving the 
island on port hand, and then take midchannel course to 
Savannah Yacht Club, and either tie up to dock or anchor 
just below it. The Savannah Yacht Club is an enter- 
prising one with a large membership, and all visiting 
yachtsmen of other clubs will be cordially welcomed and 
royally entertained. 

We are here six miles from the Savannah River, but 
as this is the route we should be obliged to take on our 
way South, we have not come out of our way, but in 
reality have saved eight miles of our distance, and I 
would strongly advise all yachtsmen to make this their 
port rather than Savannah. Distance from Beaufort, 
S. C, to Thunderbolt, Ga., 58 miles. 

Here we spent a couple of days very pleasantly, but 
the evenings began to develop a chilliness which made 
the cabin a more agreeable place than the upper deck, 
warning us that cool weather was drifting southward at 
a pace equal to our own, so on the morning of October 16 



8i 

we started down the Wilmington River, timing our de- 
parture so as to run down the river on the last of the ebb. 
A run of ten and a half miles brings us to the mouth of 
Romerly Creek, which empties in the Wilmington River. 

Formerly the route led through the Romerly Marshes, 
and vessels were obliged to wait for high water to navi- 
gate them. Latterly a new cut has been made in a small 
creek which flows into the Romerly on the left. This 
cut joins the creek with Wassau Creek, flowing into Ossi- 
baw Sound. Entering the mouth of Romerly Creek, 
we turn into the first creek coming in on the left hand, 
and follow a midstream course to the entrance to the cut. 

In entering the creek, bring mouth of creek to bear 
S. W. Yi W. and steer into it favoring starboard shore 
a little on entrance. This cut was originally dredged to 
a depth of six feet at low water, but it has gradually 
filled up, so that when we enter it at the beginning of 
flood tide, there is a scant five feet, and we suck the 
bottom, carrying a large wave behind us. The bottom 
is soft mud, and there are no obstructions in the cut, 
so we force her through it, and presently emerge into 
Wassau Creek. The ebb tide in this creek always flows 
into Ossibaw Sound, so we govern ourselves accordingly 
in avoiding points and not running too deeply into bends, 
although at this stage of the tide the shoals are out of 
water and plainly visible, making the navigating an easy 
matter. Two hours later it will be somewhat diflicult to 
a stranger. 

Near the lower end of Wassau Creek is a thatched 
shack belonging to the Savannah Yacht Club, which the 
members of the club use when they come down from the 



82 

city on hunting and fishing trips. About a mile below 
this the creek empties into the Odingsell River, which 
flows into Ossibaw Sound from the Northwest. We ran 
up the river, taking midstream course to its junction 
with Adams Creek, about three miles above. Here we 
turn into the creek, which is deep, and has only one shoal 
in it which is dangerous. This is where the creek makes 
its first bend to the Southward, and the shoal is on the 
starboard side, extending well into the middle of the 
creek. To avoid this we keep well into the bend on the 
port side. This creek empties into Ossibaw Sound, and 
after passing a point where the Sound broadens out, we 
make a gradual curve until the vessel heads about W. S. 
W. This takes us across and up the Sound to Hell Gate, 
a short passage at the mouth of the Vernon River which 
connects it with the Ogeechee River. 

In entering Hell Gate, we give the port, or Raccoon 
Point, a good berth, steering about S. S. W. and grad- 
ually changing course to S. W., W. S. W. and W., steer- 
ing close to Middle Marsh Island, which we leave on the 
starboard hand. When abreast of Western point of this 
island, we make a gradual curve to the Southward, away 
from the island adjoining it, gradually turning until we 
are in the middle of the Ogeechee River, and keep in the 
midstream, favoring the starboard shore a little, about 
a distance of two miles, until opposite Florida Passage, 
which comes in from the left hand. We head into this 
passage on a W. S. W. course approaching the starboard 
shore until we are in the middle of the mouth of the 
passage, when we take midchannel course through it to 
Bear River, about two miles beyond. 



83 

At the junction of Passage and Bear Creek Bulk- 
head Creek comes in on the left, and there is an extensive 
shoal extending out to the middle. To avoid this, we 
favor starboard shore until past the creek, and then take 
a midstream course down the river to St. Catharine 
Sound. Entering the sound, a S. S. E. course brings us 
to black buoy No. i. We stand past the buoy, and head 
for the shore of St. Catharine Island ahead, and follow 
up this shore into Walburg Creek. About a half mile 
above the entrance to the creek is the dock and fine resi- 
dence of Mr. Jacob Rawal, who is a hospitable member 
of the Savannah Yacht Club. The island is well stocked 
with deer, and those who are fortunate enough to have 
an acquaintance with Mr. Rawal will be treated to ex- 
cellent hunting and fishing. At the farther end of this 
creek, at its junction with the South Newport River, is 
a shoal and grounded upon it are the roots and trunk 
of a tree. These we leave upon the port hand, running 
close into the starboard bank until past them, when we 
haul out into the Newport River, down which left bank 
we run about a mile to Johnsons Creek, which comes in 
from the left. ^ 

Entering this, we take midstream course to Sapelo 
Sound, the Eastern shore of which we skirt until opposite 
a large creek which conies in from the left. We then 
steer a S. by W. Yi W. course toward an H. S. buoy, 
passing which we head on nearly the same course 
toward the Quarantine Station on Blackbeard Island to 
a red buoy, and then head for black buoy No. 3. Here 
we enter Mud River, and proceed cautiously here, as 
there are extensive mud flats over the bay. When 



84 

Opposite black buoy No. i we leave it to port about 400 
feet and steer S. W. by W. toward a clump of three 
spiles. These we leave on port hand, and continue on 
same course toward beach on Western shore. We follow 
this shore around until nearly opposite two spiles on this 
shore. These we bring on a rear range, and head for 
mouth of Teakettle Creek on opposite shore, along the 
left-hand bank of which are usually a number of spiles 
placed there to fasten rafts to. Passing into the creek, 
and keeping a midchannel course we run through it into 
Doboy Sound. Heading out from the creek into the 
sound we steer in the direction of Doboy Island, upon 
which are abandoned sawmills. On this course we are 
heading in the direction of a red buoy which is often hard 
to distinguish until close upon it. Leaving this buoy 
on starboard hand, we steer into the bend on right-hand 
shore, and follow this bend until we are opposite a saw- 
mill on that shore, when we cross over toward a saw- 
mill on Doboy Island. 

We pass this island on a S. by W. course, and con- 
tinue this course until close to opposite shore on the 
Northwest side. We follow this N. W. shore until we 
reach the point just beyond a small bay, in which there 
is a small islet close in to shore. At this point we change 
course to S. W. by S. toward Western bank until we are 
in midstream, and then favor Eastern shore, passing to 
the Eastward of a small island which is on the Western 
side of the river, and run down the Eastern side of the 
river into Altahama Sound. Entering the sound we still 
continue to favor the Eastern shore about three-quarters 
of a mile, heading toward Egg Island until opposite a 



85 

white sand beach on Eastern shore, and then gradually 
change course to W. S. W., passing about midway be- 
tween two islands, and then haul in the direction of first 
Northwest point of left-hand island, passing close to the 
shore of this island and follow around the curve of the 
shore to the next point about i,ooo feet ahead. Reaching 
this point we head about W. S. W. for the opposite shore. 

We skirt this shore about three miles toward a point 
on this shore ahead. This course will be about West and 
we continue on this course past the point until we reach 
the opposite right-hand shore of Buttermilk Sound. We 
skirt this shore about a mile until a point below on left- 
hand shore bears about S. E. by S., when we steer for 
and pass close to it and follow this shore about two miles 
around the bend to the junction of the Frederica River, 
down which we take a midstream course to St. Simon 
Sound. There are two shoals in this river, one in the 
left-hand bend as we are approaching an old stone fort 
on the left bank of the river, and the other in the second 
bend below the fort. This shoal is on the right-hand 
side where the river turns to run S. S. E. 

In passing from the Frederica River into St. Simon 
Sound we espy a large island directly ahead with a 
passage on each side. We take left-hand passage, and 
curve in toward the left, toward the sawmills in the 
bend, and as it was now five p. m., and the days were 
rapidly growing shorter, we concluded to tie up here for 
the night at the mill dock. 

After supper we brought out the gramaphone and 
amused the population, which is largely colored, with 
comic renditions. At nine o'clock we ceased and were 



86 

surprised to hear all the church bells commence ringing. 
Not until then had we realized that the day was Sunday. 
The bells were ringing for evening service, which had 
been postponed until we were through with our concert, 
as it was useless to get anyone inside of a church while 
the gramaphone was playing. 

We had made a run of 93 miles, having passed through 
the waters of 24 rivers and sounds in doing so. 

The following morning we made an early start, and 
entering St. Simon Sound, we steered for the foot of 
Jekyl Island, passing a black buoy which we leave on 
starboard hand, and pass into Brunswick River. About 
three miles ahead, in a S. W. direction, we see two range 
lights, and about one-half mile to the left of this range 
a beacon. The range lights are for the purpose of guid- 
ing vessels to the channel which leads to Brunswick, Ga., 
which can be plainly seen six miles away on our left. 

The river up to Brunswick is well-buoyed, and with 
the aid of the chart easily navigated. As we do not wish 
to visit Brunswick, we steer for the beacon to enter 
Jekyl Creek. At the entrance to the creek is a stone jetty 
on the right-hand side, which is visible at low water, but 
is covered at high tide. The line of the jetty is marked 
by three spiles placed at intervals along its length. On 
the left-hand side of the entrance there are often piles 
driven to which rafts are made fast. On the land ahead, 
just to the left of the three jetty spiles, are two range 
beacons. After passing the outer beacon we draw in so 
as to bring these beacons in range, and run in on a 
parallel course with the three spiles keeping them on 
starboard hand and about sixty feet away until we are 



87 

abreast of the last or third spile, when we leave the range, 
and draw out into the mouth of the creek, keeping in 
the center until around the bend where the creek broadens 
out, until opposite a small marsh island on right hand. 
We then steer about S. E. by S. >4 S., drawing away 
from the marsh island and heading for point of woods 
on opposite shore. 

When about three hundred feet away from this point 
we gradually turn up along the shore past the point and 
draw out into midstream just outside of line with the end 
of Edwin Gould's dock ahead. This we pass close to, 
as also the dock of the Jekyl Island clubhouse a short 
distance farther on. We then run through the creek in 
nearly a midstream course, but favoring the Eastern shore 
until well past the extreme Southern end of Jekyl Island. 
We then gradually turn toward a lighted beacon in the 
sound until it bears about S. Yi W. when we steer for it, 
leaving it and a black buoy on the starboard hand. 

Passing these we steer so as to leave Little Cumberland 
Lighthouse on port hand and favor the Cumberland 
Island shore about two miles, until a deep bay on the 
left opens out, when we take nearly the middle of the 
river, and steer for the left-hand point at the head of the 
bay. We favor the left shore until past the mouth of 
Brickhill River, which comes in from the left, when' we 
cut diagonally to the right toward the mouth of Shell- 
bine Creek. Here we skirt right-hand shore until opposite 
a sawmill on that shore, when we cut diagonally across to 
opposite shore, and skirt the shore until nearly up to the 
first point above on that- shore, when we cross diagonally 
to opposite shore to mouth of creek. We run along this 



88 

shore to first point above, when we cut diagonally across 
to left-hand shore again, and follow it up to a point, or 
until opposite a stake with cross arms upon it. We bring 
this stake to bear astern and steer so as to pass a marsh 
island, and skirt the island, giving it a berth of 150 feet 
until up to its point. We skirt around this point and two 
smaller islands until nearly opposite a spile ashore with 
a stake behind it. The spile and stake are on the shore 
and must not be confounded with other spiles, which 
are sometimes driven here to moor rafts to. 

We bring the spile and stake on a rear range and steer 
toward a cluster of small islands, and then make gradual 
turn toward a large island on the right. We follow 
the shore of this island until near its end, and then cut 
diagonally across to shore of island opposite. We run 
along this shore to first point ahead. Passing this point, 
we then take about a South course toward the Northern 
point of an island about three miles ahead. We leave this 
island on the port hand, as also another smaller island 
ahead, and then follow chart course down Cumberland 
Sound to Fernandina, where we tie up at the wharf of 
the lumber yards. Here, to the majority of yachts of 
over four feet draught, the inside passages down the 
coast end. 

There is an inside passage to the St. Johns River 
through the South Amelia River, Nassau Sound, Sawpit 
Creek, Gunnisons Cut and Sisters Creek, but until lately 
it has been rarely used by yachtsmen, as the Southern 
part of Sawpit, and the whole of Sisters creeks are full of 
shoals and oyster banks, and there was difficulty in getting 
a pilot to navigate them. The outside passage is much 



89 

easier and shorter; the distance from Fernandina Bar 
buoy to the St. Johns River buoy being only i8 miles, 
and if the sea is smooth, I would advise that this route 
be taken. There are range lights for entering and leav- 
ing the harbor, but the jetties are still in the process of 
construction, and the ranges cannot be relied upon. In 
fact one of the ranges leads directly upon one of the 
extensions of the jetty. The channel is, however, well 
buoyed out for day work. 

Latterly the inside passage has become better known, 
and tugs bringing barges of stone •^rom the St. Johns 
River make regular trips, as six feet of water can 
be safely carried through by taking advantage of the tides. 
It is a passage difficult to describe, and I would advise 
taking a pilot through for the first time. To many of us 
who are not pressed for time, the chief charm in navi- 
gating is the seeking of channels unknown to us and 
piloting our own boats through. Having come thus far 
on our route South, the sensation of touching bottom is 
not an unfamiliar one. 

We have learned to proceed cautiously in ticklish 
spots, and to possess our souls in patience while waiting 
for the rising tide to float us off, and have wholly gotten 
rid of that false feeling of shame of running a vessel 
aground, because we see the best of pilots doing it, and 
not afraid of owning it. General directions can be given, 
which with the exercise of caution and slow navigating 
in ticklish places will bring one through to the St. Johns 
all right. 

The best time to start to go through inside is about 
two hours after low water at Fernandina, or just at the 



90 

time that vessels commence to swing up stream in the 
harbor. We had reached Fernandina at noon and 
although by the tide tables (here let me add something 
which I have omitted. Send fifty cents to Washington 
and procure a copy of the Tide Tables, before starting 
from New York, as they will be found of the greatest 
use.) low water was at 12:22 p. m., yet under the influ- 
ence of a strong Northwest wind which would have ren- 
dered it unfit to attempt the outside passage, the vessels 
did not commence to swing up stream until 2 p. m. This 
meant, even with the best of luck, a run up the St. Johns 
after dark, or a night in the creeks, should any untoward 
event happen; but one of the charms of sailing in these 
interior waters is the feeling that home is wherever night 
overtakes us, and that one is sure of a quiet and safe 
anchorage. 

Some of our pleasantest recollections are those warm, 
balmy nights in streams encircled by rice fields and 
forests, sitting upon the deck, listening to the strange 
weird voices of a Southern night. 

At two p. m. we cast off from the dock, and reaching 
out into midchannel, we proceed up the Amelia River 
on this course, passing two streams entering it, one broad 
one coming in from the left and a narrower one from 
the right. A short distance from the latter we enter 
Kingsland Creek, a narrow stream coming in from the 
left. About a mile from the entrance are two draw- 
bridges close together, and warned by former experience, 
we sound the whistle vigorously and slow down long 
before we get to them. The flood tide runs strongly and 
the creek is too narrow to do much maneuvering in. 



91 

The bridge tenders are none too prompt in opening, 
and if it be near train time will make you wait, a difficult 
thing to do if you are near the bridge with the swift tide 
cutting you down upon it. To-day we are agreeably sur- 
prised to find both bridges opened promptly. We pass 
through the left-hand or Eastern draw, as the other 
passage of the railroad bridge is obstructed by sunken 
spiles, as I once found out to my sorrow. 

About a half mile beyond the bridges the creek 
broadens out into a lagoon shape, dotted with numerous 
small islets. These at high water are covered, and the 
lagoon has the appearance of a lake. At this stage of the 
tide it appears to be a marsh with small streams running 
through it. Starting from Fernandina as we did it is 
now dead low water here, and the channel through the 
marsh is tolerably plain, but yet somewhat difficult for a 
stranger to determine which of the many streams to take. 
Upon reaching this marsh we follow right-hand bank 
around the turn and pass an opening on the right, until 
we arrive at a spot where the bank makes an abrupt turn 
to the right. Proceeding very slowly here, we pass this, 
and run toward a couple of stakes on opposite bank, 
making gradual turn to the right as we approach them, 
and attempt to pass through between the two shoals. 

In doing this we touch bottom and stop, but the 
bottom is soft mud, and the tide has commenced to rise, 
and we force her through, and in a moment she is over it, 
we still making gradual turn to the right. About three- 
quarters of a mile ahead on the right-hand shore will be 
seen a house or barn half hidden in a fringe of woods 
some distance back from the shore. We steer in this 



92 

direction, heading for a stake or stakes, to which is 
usually fastened a boat or raft opposite the house. 

Approaching these stakes, we leave them on starboard 
hand, taking care not to pass them, as there is a nasty 
shoal just beyond them, but when we are about lOO feet 
from them we turn to the left so that when we are opposite 
them we will be heading about S. E. by E. toward the 
Eastern marshes. Standing on this course a short distance, 
we gradually turn until we are heading about S. by W. 
toward the Western marshes, and follow these marshes 
around until the Northwesternmost reddish house in 
clump or houses on Eastern shore bears East, when we 
steer *for it, gradually making a turn so as to run close 
to a wharf on shore, and follow this shore around, leav- 
ing a large island on starboard hand, to South Amelia 
River, entering which, we cross over to right-hand shore, 
and follow this down to first point on that shore, when 
we draw out to midstream and run down to the junction 
of Nassau River, a broad stream coming from the right 
into Nassau Sound. 

We cross the mouth of this river on a S. E. by S. 
^ S. course, heading for a point on its Western bank 
about a mile below in order to avoid a bar which is in 
the middle of Nassau Sound, and on which breakers will 
be seen if the water is at all rough. The channel lies 
between the breakers and the right-hand shore. We 
follow this shore around until we are heading about 
S. S. E., and then run on this course across the mouth of 
Sawpit Creek, which here comes into the sound from the 
right. We do not attempt to pass up the creek until we 
are well over to its Southern bank, steering in the direc- 



93 

tion of a lot of dead trees and drift wood which is on that 
bank, until we are well past the middle of the creek, when 
we turn up into it and follow right-hand bank around the 
next point above. This creek is a narrow one with its 
ebb tide flowing into Nassau Sound. 

Remembering this we avoid the points below the 
bends and run up it about four and a half miles where it 
broadens out into a marsh, dotted with small islets. 
Upon reaching the marsh we make a turn to the right 
as the channel around the marsh is on the right-hand 
shore. After turning to the right, we turn to the left a 
little, and see ahead of us the entrance into Gunnisons Cut, 
a narrow and near straight cut, coming into the marsh 
in an almost North and South direction. This cut is an 
artificial one and joins Sawpit Creek with a small creek 
running into Fort George River and Sound. 

At low water, through this cut and at its entrance at 
each end, there is only two and one-half feet of water, 
the rise and fall of the tide being about five feet. It is 
about a mile long. When we reach it, it is about half 
tide, and proceeding cautiously we touch bottom just 
before we enter. We do not attempt to drive her over 
this until with the sounding pole we ascertain whether 
we have struck an oyster bank or soft mud. Finding it 
mud, we push her ahead and enter the cut, which we pass 
through, dragging bottom all the way until we reach the 
creek beyond. From this point to the St. Johns River, 
about lo miles, the navigation is the most difficult of any 
portion of the Inside Route to Florida. Both this creek 
and Sisters Creek leading from Fort George River to the 
St. Johns, is narrow, full of sharp bends and oyster 



94 

shoals, with many side streams entering. It would hardly 
be possible to give intelligent sailing directions without 
the aid of a marked chart. One must pass through it at 
low water in a light-draught boat, to form any conception 
of the numerous shoals formed by the oyster banks. The 
chart to be used in navigating this end of the route is 
No. 454 of the St. Johns River series. 

The writer has passed through here twice at low 
water purposely to chart the shoals and has marked and 
numbered them on the chart. This chart and a sheet of 
explanations will be left on file at the Savannah Yacht 
Club at Thunderbolt, where any yachtsmen on their way 
down the coast will be welcomed to examine and make 
notes and copies of it, provided that he will provide him- 
self with Chart No. 454 beforehand, as under no circum- 
stances will it be loaned out of the club. 

By the time we had passed through Gunnisons Cut, 
the tide had become three-quarters full, and there being 
plenty of water for us at this stage, we were enabled to 
go at full speed by slowing down around the sharp bends, 
and we reached the St. Johns at nearly full tide, an hour 
and a half after entering Gunnisons Cut. Sisters Creek 
enters the St. Johns River six and a half miles above its 
mouth, and twenty and a half miles below Jacksonville, 
hence we had accomplished the 80 miles between Fernan- 
dina and the St. Johns in three and three-quarter hours. 
The river is well beaconed and with the aid of the charts 
there should be no difficulty in navigating it. 

The days had now grown so short, that it was dusk 
as we entered the river, so we set the running lights for 
the second time since leaving New York, and running up 



95 

the river to Jacksonville tied up at the wharf of Merrill 
& Stevens Shipyards at eight p. m., 92 miles from 
St. Simon, our starting place in the morning. We are 
now out of the reach of cold weather for a month to 
come at least, and shall spend this pleasurably and profit- 
ably in cruising the hundreds of miles of this beautiful 
river, and the lakes above which supply it. About two 
hundred miles to the Southward its head waters approach 
the Indian River very closely, and many owners of small 
boats have tried to get through to the Indian River by 
hauling across the intervening portage, about six miles. 
I have had a number of enquiries of the feasibility of 
this route. Of the many who have tried it, I have known 
but one to succeed, and he told me that he would never 
repeat the experiment. 



GEOGRAPHICAL INDEX 



Alexandria 29 

Altahama Sound 84 

Amelia River 90 

Annapolis 26 

Ashbees Harbor 41 

Ashepoo River ^2 

Ashley River 67 

Back Creek 18 

Back River 31 

Bald Head Light 56 

Baltimore 25 

Bay Light 30 

Bear Creek 83 

Beaufort Bar 51 

Beaufort Inlet 46 

Beaufort, N. C 50 

Beaufort, S. C 75 

Berkley Z2> 

Bird Island 59 

Blackbeard Island 83 

Blockade Beacon 40 

Bluff Point 70 

Bluff Shoal Light 42 

Bogue Inlet 52 

Bogue Sound 50 

Bordentown 10 

Bound Brook 11 

Brickhill River 87 

Brickyard Creek 74 

Brunswick River 86 

Bulkhead Creek 83 

Bull River 74 

Bulls Bay 63 

Calibogue Sound 77 

Camden 11 

Cape Fear 51 

Cape Fear Lighthouse .... 54 



Cape Lookout 29 

Cape Lookout 51 

Cape Romain 63 

Caroon Point 40 

Currituck Sound 34 

Charleston " 49 

Charleston 63 

Charts 15 

Chesapeake and Albemarle 

Canal 34 

Chesapeake City 20 

Chester 18 

Church Flats 67 

Cockrill Creek 30 

Combahee River 74 

Coosaw River 74 

Copper River '^'j 

Core Sound 43 

Corncake Inlet 54 

Croatan Sound 40 

Cumberland Sound 88 

Daufuskie Island "jy 

Dawho Ferry 71 

Dawho River 70 

Deep Creek 35 

Delaware and Raritan 

Canal 9 

Delaware and Raritan 

Canal 16 

Delaware Capes 12 

Delaware City 18 

Dismal Swamp 36 

Dismal Swamp Canal .... 35 

Doboy Island 84 

Drum Point Light 28 

Duvalls Creek 27 

East River 31 



GEOGRAPHICAL INDEX 



Egg Island 84 

Elba Island 78 

Elizabeth City 40 

Elizabeth River 34 

Elk River 18 

Elk River 21 

Elk River 22 

Elk River 23 

Fernandina 88 

Fernandina Bar 89 

Fieldsborough Mills 16 

Fields Cut 78 

Fleets Point 30 

Florence 17 

Fort Carrol 24 

Fort Caswell 56 

Fort George River 93 

Fort Ripley 65 

Fort Sumpter 64 

Fortress Monroe 30 

Frazers Creek 53 

Frederica River 85 

Frying Pan Shoals 55 

Georgetown 58 

Gold Leaf Inlet 54 

Great Beds Light 7 

Great Wicomico River ... 30 

Greenburg Point 26 

Gulf Shoal Light 42 

Gunnison's Cut 88 

Hampton Roads 33 

Harbor Island Bar 43 

Harkness Island 47 

Havre de Grace 23 

Herring Bay 28 

Hills Point 27 

Indian River 95 

Jekyl Creek 86 



Jekyl Island 86 

Johnsons Creek 83 

Kingsland Creek 90 

Lake Drummond Canal , . 35 

Lazaretto Point 24 

Little Cumberland Light. . 87 

Little River 58 

Long Shoal Light 42 

Mackays Creek jy 

Magothy River 26 

Marshallberg 46 

Marsh Island 47 

Marsh Island Beacon 62 

Martins Point 70 

May River ^^ 

Mobjack Bay 30 

Moccasin Creek 36 

Morehead City 50 

Mosquito Creek Beacon... 62 

Mud River 83 

Nassau River 92 

Nassau Sound 88 

Newbern, N. C 43 

Newbolds Island 16 

New Brunswick 9 

New Brunswick 10 

New River ^^ 

New Point Comfort Light. 30 

Newport River 83 

Norfolk 34 

North Creek 71 

North Edisto River 70 

North Landing River 34 

North Point 24 

North River 31 

Pamlico Sound 41 

Pasquotank River 36 

Passage Creek 83 



GEOGRAPHICAL INDEX 



Patapsco River 24 

Patuxent River 28 

Peedee River 62 

Petty Island 18 

Philadelphia 11 

Plankatank River 30 

Pocoson Point 40 

Port Royal Sound 76 

Potomac River 29 

Ocracoke Inlet 43 

Odingsell River 82 

Ogeeche River 82 

Old Point Comfort 33 

Old Tower Beacon 73 

Ossibaw Sound 81 

Otter Island 73 

Raccoon Point 82 

Ramshorn Creek 77 

Rappahannock Spit Light. 30 

Raritan River 7 

Raritan River 9 

Rattlesnake Shoal 64 

Rhodes River 28 

Rip Raps 33 

Roanoke Island 41 

Roanoke Marshes Light . . 41 

Robins Reef 7 

Romerly Creek 81 

Royal Shoal Lighthouse . . 43 

St. Augustin Creek 78 

St. Helena Sound 72 

St. Johns River 88 

St. Simon Sound 85 

Samsit River 62 

Sandy Point Light 26 

Savannah River 78 

Sawpit Creek 88 

Scall Creek 30 



Scalier Creek 30 

Scull Creek 76 

Selbys Bay 27 

Severn River 31 

Sisters Creek 88 

Skackelford Point 47 

Skyco 41 

Smiths Creek 29 

Solomons Island 28 

South Amelia River 88 

South Edisto River 71 

South River 27 

Southport .'>5 

Spesutie Island 23 

Staten Island Kills 7 

Stingray Point Light 30 

Stono River 68 

Teakettle Creek 84 

Thunderbolt 79 

Torresdale I7 

Towns Point 22 

Trenton 10 

Turkey Point 23 

Waccamaw River 62 

Wadlemar River 68 

Walls Cut 78 

Wappo Creek 67 

Ware River 31 

Wassau Creek 81 

West River 28 

White Point 70 

Wilmington, N. C 49 

Wilmington, N. C 56 

Wilmington River 79 

Wolf Trap Spit Light ... 30 

Wortens Point 23 

Wright River 78 

Wrightsville 57 



NOTES AND OBSERVATIONS 



NOTES AND OBSERVATIONS 



Bound Volume No, /of 
* * Power Boat News ' ' 

52 Numbers, containing Plans, Designs and Description 
of All Important Events in 1905, and Many Useful Articles 
on Handling and Care of Gasolene Engines. 

CONTENTS 

Advice to Amateurs. 

How^ to Get a Nevs^ York State Canal Permit. 

The Distance Between Various Locks. 

By-Laws of a Power Boat Club. 

Cooling Water System. 

Carburetors and Vaporizers. 

Class Racing. 

Dynamos and Magnetos. 

Fall Care of a Power Boat. 

French Mercury Jet Interrupter. ^ 

Fixing Up the Engine. ' 

How to Install a Power Whistle. 

Wires in the Boat. 

Opposed Cylinder Engines. 

Importance of Lights at Night. 

Inlet Valves for Gasolene Engines. 

Installation Competition. --^ 

Outside Cooling, Condensing and Muffling. 

Protests in Power Boat Racing. 

Problems in Connection with High-Speed Launches. 

Problem of Gas Turbine. 

Remy High-Tension Magneto. 

Rotary Gas Engines. 

Two-Stroke and Four-Stroke Engines. 

A Limited Number For Sale at $3.50 

THE RUDDER PUBLISHING COMPANY 

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APR 22 1907 



